The New York Yankees lost the the Seattle Mariners 3-2 on Thursday, but the final score was the last thing on Yankees fans minds. Instead, everyone was focused on how superstar outfielder Juan Soto, who is in the midst of a career-year in his first season with the Yankees, was feeling after a scary moment earlier in the game.
With one out in the seventh inning, Soto charged into foul territory down the right field line and made a heroic sliding catch while crashing into the wall to get Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco out.
While making the catch, Soto's knee crashed into the wall and he stayed down for a few minutes before eventually staying in the game.
After the game, Soto explained what happened and provided an update on whether or not he will play on Friday to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Soto said that he slid “directly into concrete” when he made contact with the wall in foul territory and that he will have x-rays to confirm that there is no structural damage. He then said that it “depends on how the knee feels in the morning” before he will determining whether or not he will play on Friday against the Oakland Athletics.
If there is any doubt about Soto's health, the Yankees will likely play it safe. The Yankees clinched a spot in the postseason yesterday, so the priority should be making sure that Soto is ready to go in October.
Juan Soto's incredible 2024 season
In his first season with the Yankees after being acquired in a trade with the San Diego Padres this offseason, Soto has more-than impressed. He is slashing .286/.418/.575 with a career-high 40 home runs and 103 RBI.
Soto will be a free agent this offseason, and after what he has been able to do he should command one of, if not the largest contract in baseball history. While the Yankees would of course love to keep Soto in the Bronx, they are expected to face stiff competition from their crosstown rivals, the New York Mets, for Soto's services.
While it looks like the Yankees avoided anything serious with Soto's knee, they should still exercise as much caution as possible to ensure that he can perform the way he has all season when it most counts, in the postseason. Even if that means sitting him for a few games or giving him some opportunities to act as the designated hitter, making sure that Soto is at his best come October should the the Yankees' priority going forward.
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