OAKLAND, Calif. — Juan Soto walked as much as supervisor Aaron Boone in the midst of the sport and instructed him the banged-up left knee that stored him out of the lineup was feeling adequate for the slugger to offer the New York Yankees one at-bat if a key second got here.
It did within the tenth inning, and Soto delivered with an RBI double that helped the Yankees beat the Oakland Athletics 4-2 on Friday night time.
“It was nice — showman-like,” starter Gerrit Cole stated. “He loves the second. He loves it.”
Soto had been scratched from the beginning lineup after his knee was sore and swollen a day after he harm it sliding right into a concrete wall to make a catch in Seattle.
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After getting an X-ray early Friday that confirmed he did not have a severe damage, Soto obtained therapy and frolicked earlier than the sport within the batting cage and doing squats to verify his knee was adequate to play.
“It reacted fairly nicely,” he stated. “So all through the sport, I used to be feeling good. It wasn’t sore or something after all of the work that we put in. That is once I knew I’d have probability to be an choice.”
His time got here within the tenth inning. Boone did not wish to use Soto to begin the inning with the automated runner on second, figuring the A’s would simply stroll him in that state of affairs.
However after Anthony Rizzo led off the inning with a single to place runners on the corners, Boone did not hesitate.
“As soon as we acquired the primary and third, I used to be going to take my shot proper there,” he stated.
A handed ball by Shea Langeliers let the go-ahead run rating, and Soto delivered an opposite-field drive for an RBI double that gave the Yankees a 3-1 lead.
It offered a cheerful ending to a day that began with some concern that wasn’t alleviated till the X-ray cleared Soto.
“It is at all times scary,” Soto stated. “It is at all times a part of it. Positively we hoped for one of the best. However something can occur. Once I noticed that it got here again unfavorable, it was actually a reduction.”
Soto harm his leg Thursday in Seattle when he slid into the quick wall in foul territory down the right-field line whereas making a highlight-reel catch. He remained within the sport however had swelling Friday.
Boone stated earlier than the sport he wasn’t “overly involved” the damage would linger into the postseason. The Yankees clinched a playoff berth Wednesday night time and lead the Baltimore Orioles by 4 video games within the American League East with eight video games to play.
Soto stated he did not wish to sit out with the division nonetheless on the road. He stated he would possibly be capable of be within the lineup Saturday if his knee is feeling good within the morning.
Soto is batting .288 with 40 homers and 104 RBIs in his first season with the Yankees. He’s second within the majors with 124 walks, 285 occasions on base and a .419 on-base proportion, trailing solely teammate Aaron Choose in all three classes. Soto is third within the majors with 120 runs scored.
He sat out three video games in June due to left forearm irritation.
