One day after clinching a postseason berth, the New York Yankees received a major scare Thursday after star outfielder Juan Soto banged his left knee while sliding into the short wall in foul territory on a highlight-reel catch.
Soto slid into the wall in foul territory down the right-field line in the seventh inning of a 3-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners. After a lengthy visit from Yankees manager Aaron Boone, athletic trainers and seemingly every one of his teammates, Soto remained in the game and was shaking out his left leg.
“I was really worried,” Soto said. “I went straight into the concrete, and when I threw the ball, I just felt a lot of pain in my kneecap. Definitely, with time, [the pain] started going down and feeling better. Definitely, it was a little scary right there.”
Boone said Soto “banged his knee pretty good” and will get X-rays “just to make sure.”
The play was initially ruled a foul ball, but it was overturned to a catch on replay.
“I think him sliding the way he did served him well,” Boone said. “My biggest fear was that he twisted something, and I think sliding like that preserved him a little bit.
“… As of now looks like he’ll be OK.”
The 26-year-old Soto, a four-time All-Star and former batting champion whose free agency after this season is expected to spark a bidding war starting at $500 million, is hitting .286 this season with 40 home runs, 120 runs scored and 103 RBIs.
With the loss, the Yankees’ lead in the American League East was cut to four games over the Baltimore Orioles.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Source: www.espn.com