Juan Soto was originally set to start for the New York Yankees on Friday a day after banging his left knee against the outfield wall, but the team scratched him before the game at the Oakland Athletics due to soreness and swelling.
In Thursday’s 3-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners, the right fielder crashed into the wall in foul territory while pursuing a ball and making a stellar sliding catch. He was sporting a bruise on the knee after the game and underwent treatment.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters Friday that Soto’s X-rays were negative and there were no plans for additional testing.
Soto was slated to play his usual spot in right field while batting second in the lineup Friday. The revised batting order moved catcher Austin Wells up to No. 2 and had several changes; Aaron Judge moved over from center field to right and Trent Grisham entered the lineup to play center and bat seventh.
Soto, 25, is batting .286 with 40 home runs, 103 RBIs and 120 runs in 149 games in his first season with the Yankees. He is slated to become a free agent following the season.
