Yankees Provide Promising Update on Juan Soto’s Injury Status

The New York Yankees shared a promising update on Juan Soto, who has yet to play in a game since his MRI results revealed forearm inflammation.

Jun 7, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto (22) watches from the bench during the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports | Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees have dropped the first two games of their series with the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers, but they haven’t been at full strength. 

Following their 11-3 blowout loss to the Dodgers, Yankees manager Aaron Boone provided a positive update on superstar Juan Soto, who has sat the past two games due to forearm inflammation. 

As Boone told reporters after the game, Soto is feeling "noticeably better" and will probably do some hitting on Sunday, which doesn’t mean he will necessarily play in their series finale with the Dodgers, but it is a promising sign, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.

Soto was pulled after a rain delay on Thursday night in the Yankees' series finale against the Minnesota Twins. He later revealed his forearm had been bothering him for about a week and it had not improved. However, the star outfielder said his forearm does not hinder him when he hits or throws. 

While it is unknown whether Soto will get back into game action tonight, and there’s certainly no rush given how much season there is left to play, the Yankees are hoping he can return in the near future and avoid the injured list. Prior to Saturday night’s game, Boone called an IL trip a “possibility” for Soto, but said he still expects the 25-year-old to avoid landing on the shelf.

As MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports pointed out, the Yankees have scored a total of just four runs in two games without Soto. Fellow superstar outfielder Aaron Judge is 4-for-7 with two home runs and three RBIs during this brief span. The rest of the team is 11-for-83 (.133 batting average) with only one RBI. 

So, it’s safe to say these stats highlight how valuable Soto is to the Yankees’ lineup as a whole. 

At the moment, Soto and Judge are two of the three favorites to win the AL MVP Award this year. They are a big reason why the Yankees have jumped out to such a strong start in 2024 with a record of 45-21. But it is evident that the Bronx Bombers need Soto in their lineup every day, hitting in front of Judge to help drive their high-powered offense.