Yankees Hold Breath as Juan Soto Gets Imaging on Left Forearm
The New York Yankees are anxiously awaiting results as superstar slugger Juan Soto undergoes imaging on his left forearm. During a rain delay on Thursday night, the Yankees announced that Soto was pulled from the game early, with Alex Verdugo replacing him in the outfield.
Initially, there was concern that Soto’s body had tightened up, prompting the Yankees to take precautionary measures. However, it was later revealed that the issue was related to his left forearm, which has been bothering him for approximately two weeks.
Following the game, Soto spoke to the media and mentioned that while the injury doesn’t affect his throwing or batting, it hurts when he moves it after cooling down.
Juan Soto speaks on his early exit pic.twitter.com/ws0jxTVVne
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) June 7, 2024
The Yankees will seek expert opinions to assess the severity of the injury and determine if any downtime is necessary. The team cannot afford to lose Soto, who is hitting .318/.424/.603 with 17 home runs, 53 RBIs, and a 190 wRC+. He is in the running alongside Aaron Judge for MVP honors and has been a standout performer for the Yankees this season.
In a worst-case scenario, if the injury involves his UCL, Soto could still potentially serve as the primary designated hitter, akin to Shohei Ohtani this season and Bryce Harper in previous seasons. However, the defensive side could be impacted, as Soto is considered a below-average defensive player who has been performing above expectations this season.
If Soto shifts to DH, Giancarlo Stanton could be affected, potentially leading the Yankees to consider calling up Jasson Dominguez, who has been excelling during his rehab assignments in the minors.
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