Soto was in Boone’s original lineup after X-rays taken earlier on Friday were negative. No additional testing is scheduled, but Soto was unable to make the start after receiving treatment.
“We’re going to be cautious here and hold him out,” Boone said. “I had him in there, but knew he was going to need some treatment today. Going through different physical exercises, I think everyone felt like it was the best thing.”
Boone said that Soto could potentially be available off the bench, and hopes to have him in Saturday’s lineup. Trent Grisham entered the lineup as the center fielder, with Aaron Judge moving to right field. Austin Wells moved up to the No. 2 spot in the batting order.
“Not having him in that two hole is obviously very different, but it’s also part of it,” Boone said. “You’re going to have these things pop up every now and then over a long season.”
Soto sustained a bruise while making a dazzling seventh-inning catch in Thursday’s 3-2 Yankees loss to the Mariners at T-Mobile Park, during which he slid into a concrete wall down the right-field line.
After the game, Soto received treatment for more than an hour before speaking with reporters, when he said that the knee felt “pretty good; not bad at all.”
“It’s a bruise, because I hit it off the wall, literally straight up on the concrete,” Soto said on Thursday. “It definitely feels better [after treatment], but when I’m running and I tried to swing, too, I felt it a little bit.”
Boone said that he was encouraged about Soto’s status after speaking with Michael Schuk, the club’s director of sports medicine and rehabilitation.
“It’s not something [Schuk] is concerned with long-term here. It’s just a day-to-day thing,” Boone said. “Again, hopefully he’s even available tonight in some capacity.”
Soto has been an offensive force this season, batting .286/.418/.575 with 30 doubles, four triples and a career-high 40 homers in 149 games, driving in 103 runs while scoring a team-leading 120 runs.
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