What Injured Juan Soto Told Aaron Boone Before Delivering Huge Yankees Hit

Soto was scratched from the Yankees lineup due to a knee injury but delivered a clutch, pinch-hit double in the top of the 10th inning.

New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto (right) and manager Aaron Boone (left) watch from the dugout during a March game against the Houston Astros.

After suffering a knee injury while making an incredible, sliding catch into the right field wall at the Oakland Coliseum on Thursday, New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto was in the club’s initial lineup for Friday’s contest.

Until he wasn’t.

The Yankees scratched Soto, who was dealing with soreness in the knee, from the lineup. But Soto stayed ready, though, going through treatment and a pregame routine.

“We tried the knee early before the game,” Soto said. “We went to the cage, hit a little bit. We tried the gym too with some squats and stuff. It reacted pretty well.

“So throughout the game, I was feeling good. It wasn’t sore or anything after all the work that we put in. That’s when I knew I would have a good chance to be an option.”

Early in a close game that was tied 1–1 until the top of the 10th inning, Soto approached Yankees manager Aaron Boone in the dugout.

“Juan came to me early in the game and said, ‘If we need a hit, big spot, late, I’m good,'” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

True to his word, Soto delivered, extending the Yankees lead to 3–1 with a pinch-hit RBI double. The club would eventually tack on another run in the inning.

Boone admitted that he didn’t want to insert Soto to start the inning with the automatic runner on second for fear that the Athletics would walk the Yankees slugger.

“Once the lefty [T.J. McFarland] came into the game, I was like, ‘Nah.’ Then, I’m like, ‘It’s Juan Soto, though.’ Once we got to first and third with the no outs, I knew they kinda had to pitch to him there.

“I felt like it was the time.”

And Soto, who legged out a double on the hit, said the knee held up pretty well.

“A little bit of soreness, but not as bad as it was this morning.”

Soto’s X-rays on the knee came back negative. When asked if he’ll be in Saturday’s lineup, Soto told reporters he would “see how I wake up.”

Soto, 25, has posted a .288/.419/.577 slash line with 120 runs scored, 40 home runs, 104 RBIs and 124 walks in 150 games played for New York this season. The Yankees, who on Wednesday clinched a postseason berth, have a magic number of five to clinch the American League East.