Getty Juan Soto warming up before a May 29 game against the Los Angeles Angels.
Bronx baseball is back and the New York Yankees are rolling, 45-19 and atop all of MLB. But their eight-game winning streak is in jeopardy after Juan Soto left the field with injury.
In the middle of a rain delay against the Minnesota Twins on June 6, he left and did not return. New York later disclosed Soto’s injury as “left forearm discomfort.”
Juan Soto left tonight’s game due to left forearm discomfort.
After the 8-5 win over the Twins, skipper Aaron Boone talked with reporters about the injury and where they go from here.
“It’s just been something that’s been bothering him for the last week or so,” Boone said. “(He’s) been getting treatment on it, hasn’t really affected him in his baseball stuff: throwing, or swinging, or anything.”
He cited the rain delay as a primary reason for shutting Soto down early.
“Once we shut down in the rain delay, that soreness was there,” Boone continued. “So didn’t feel like it was the right thing to go back out there…We’ll get imaging tomorrow…It’s just kind of been something that’s sore, lingering. Instead of ramping back up, and treating it, and getting ready, just decided to play it safe.”
Boone pumped the brakes on any concern or thoughts of a potential stint on the Injured List. But any absence for Soto would hurt New York.
He’s slashing .319/.422/.605 with a 1.027 OPS, 17 home runs, and 53 RBIs this season.
Soto: ‘It’s Just Soreness’
The Yankees’ slugger met with reporters after the game. Soto discussed his forearm injury, and what brought about his early exit against the Twins.
When asked about the injury’s origin, he didn’t have an specific answer.
“I don’t have the specific date,” Soto said postgame. “But it’s been like a week and a half or two. I’ve just been grinding through it.”
And as to when it’s causing him discomfort, Soto was clear that it’s not bothering him on the baseball field.
“It’s not any specific activity,” Soto continued. “It’s kind of funny, it doesn’t hurt when I throw or I’m hitting. It’s just soreness I feel with any kind of move I make with my arm. But definitely, it doesn’t stop me from anything baseball wise on the field.”
Soto says he and Boone and the team’s medical staff all collaborated in the decision to end his night early.
“We all decided to not start getting warm again after an hour sitting down here,” Soto said. “We don’t wanna risk anything like that. So we just decided to stop it.”
Stroman Gives Up 5 Runs in Win
The Yankees overcame the loss of Soto as well as five opposing scores to beat the Twins.
Starting pitcher Marcus Stroman gave up five runs in 4.2 pitched against Minnesota.
He met with reporters postgame to talk about his outing, one that netted a 3.16 ERA.
“Was a tough one for sure,” Stroman said on June 6. “Just felt like my feel was off, struggling to get a grip a little bit. They put together some great ABs. I didn’t execute when I needed to. Luckily, we were able to keep the game where it’s at.”
When the teams went into the rain delay, New York was up 8-5. They held the Twins off for the remainder of the game to get the series sweep.
4.2 innings pitched is the second-shortest outing of Stroman’s 2024 season. He threw 4 innings in an April 28 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. 5 errors marks a new season-high for the 10-year veteran.
With a series against Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers up next, it will be all hands on deck for New York. Soto or not Soto.