Juan Soto was not in the starting lineup of Friday’s series opener against the Oakland Athletics after he still had some inflammation in his knee but came through off the bench.
With runners on the corners in a 1-1 game in the 10th inning, manager Aaron Boone called on Soto to come in to drive in a run. Although the runner on third scored on a passed ball, Soto drove an opposite-field double to give the Yankees another run en route to the team’s 4-2 win.
“[Soto] came by me late in the game and felt like he was an option,” Boone said after the game. “Once we had first and third, I was going to take my shot right there.”
The Yankees outfielder was initially in the starting lineup but was removed hours before first pitch. Boone said X-rays on Soto’s knee were negative but the team are not overly concerned this will be a long-term issue.
Soto suffered the knee injury when he made a sliding catch in foul territory in Thursday’s loss to the Seattle Mariners. Soto slid and caught the fly ball but his right knee banged into the wall. After writhing in pain for a moment, and being tended to by the Yankees trainers, he remained in the game.
After the Yankees’ win, New York remains four games ahead of the Orioles for first place in the AL East after Baltimore’s win earlier in the day. However, the Yankees’ magic number to clinch the division is now five.