Until the New York Yankees’ game against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, neither Aaron Judge nor Juan Soto had missed a game in this season.
With Judge positioned in the centre of the Yankees’ lineup all season, Soto has been the ideal left-handed complement. However, a forearm injury caused him to miss three straight games. By the end of a weekend series against the Dodgers, he was improving enough to be able to swing a bat, but he never came off the bench.
In this unusual interleague series, New York fell short against Los Angeles in two of the three games.The New York Yankees Lose Another, But Gain One Significant Lineup Boost.
The Yankees’ silver lining? Monday against the Kansas City Royals will see Soto return to the starting lineup.
The unfavourable report? Judge has since left.
The Yankees’ lineup this season will be without the newly named AL Player of the Week for the first time when they play the Royals in the series opener. Judge increased his league-leading total to 24 last week by hitting three home runs and batting.500 (10-for-20).
Jack Curry of the YES Network says there’s no reason to be concerned about Judge’s absence.
Curry was advised by Yankees manager Aaron Boone, “I feel like he needs a day,”
Judge had started every one of the Yankees’ first 67 games this season, which was a record for the team. After missing the postseason entirely the previous season, Judge, the 2022 American League MVP, was crucial to the Bronx Bombers’ best-ever MLB 46-21 record.
The fact that Soto is back is the bigger story. If a forearm injury causes structural damage, especially to the elbow joint, it may be cause for concern. Soto, with a hitting average of.318 with a.424 on-base percentage and a.603 slugging percentage in 64 games, had been an incredibly healthy and effective cog in the Yankees’ lineup. His 1.027 OPS is second only to Judge in MLB.
After a 56-minute rain delay, Soto left Thursday night’s Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins game in the top of the sixth inning due to what the team described as left forearm soreness.
After thereafter, Boone addressed the media, stating that Soto had been coping with this problem for around a week before being removed for precautionary measures.
The Yankees have yet to formally submit their starting lineup. For the first time this season, when they do, it will include a No. 3 hitter who isn’t Aaron Judge.
For the Royals, Seth Lugo (9-1, 2.13 ERA) is starting.
