Yankees’ Juan Soto gives cryptic update on arm injury
New York Yankees star Juan Soto had an injury scare on Thursday night against the Minnesota Twins. Despite the Yankees securing an 8-5 win, the focus for fans was on Soto’s forearm discomfort, which led to his exit from the game. Soto will undergo further evaluation on Friday and provided an update via ESPN and The Associated Press.
“I don’t know what it’s going to show,” Soto said. “Just woke up one day, felt the tightness and discomfort in my forearm and we’ve been working on it and we’ve been trying to get away with it, and it hasn’t [gone away]… Kind of just been grinding through it. It’s kind of funny. It doesn’t hurt when I throw, or hitting, it’s more like soreness that I feel any kind of move that I make with my arm. But it definitely doesn’t stop me from anything baseball-wise.”
Soto’s comments suggest the injury might not be severe, as he mentioned it “doesn’t stop me from anything baseball-wise,” which will be a key point for the team. However, there is still concern, and the Yankees are cautious about his condition, awaiting the results of further evaluation to decide on a potential injured list (IL) placement.
The hope is that Soto will either avoid the IL or spend minimal time on it. There was initial skepticism about how Soto would perform in New York, having previously played in smaller markets like Washington and San Diego. However, he has proven doubters wrong with his impressive performance.
Soto is slashing .318/.424/.603/1.027 over 64 games in 2024, leading the league in batting average and OBP. He has hit 17 home runs, 11 doubles, and has 53 RBIs and 46 walks, showcasing his elite eye at the plate and ability to get on base consistently.
In his contract year, Soto is setting himself up for a significant payday, making avoiding a lengthy IL stint even more crucial. Regardless of his injury status, he is on track to secure a major contract in MLB free agency, whether with the Yankees or another team.
The Yankees are awaiting the results of Soto’s evaluation to make any final IL decisions. Updates are expected as soon as Friday. Losing Soto for an extended period would be a significant blow, so the hope is for a quick return.
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