Juan Soto Scratched From Yankees' Lineup Saturday vs Blue Jays

TORONTO, ON - JUNE 27: Juan Soto #22 of the New York Yankees tosses walks to first base during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on June 27, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Soto was scratched from the Yankees' lineup.

New York Yankees superstar outfielder Juan Soto was scratched from Saturday's lineup against the Toronto Blue Jays, according to Greg Joyce of The New York Post. He is dealing with a right-hand bruise that will keep him out of the game. Soto had a hard slide into home plate in Friday's game and it has seemingly caused some issues.

He stayed in the game after the incident but was clearly in pain while in the dugout.

Soto was replaced in the lineup by Oswaldo Cabrera, and Ben Rice moved up to the No. 2 hole in the lineup. The hope is that Soto won't have to miss too much time and that this is more precautionary than anything. But with any injury, there is always a concern that it could linger or be more serious than originally thought.

If Soto has to miss any significant amount of time, it would be a massive blow to the Yankees. He has been one of the key players in helping them return to being a dominant team this season, so his absence would be heavily felt. The Yankees slugger is hitting .320 with 20 home runs and 60 runs batted in this season. Alongside star outfielder Aaron Judge, Soto has created a lethal duo in the lineup for New York.

This is the second time that Soto has seen an injury scare this month. He missed three games earlier due to some left forearm inflammation. The tests showed no structural damage thankfully and he was able to come down shortly after. He didn't receive anything for the issue other than normal treatment.

Soto is scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the season so any major injury could play a role in how he is viewed on the open market. While unlikely, some teams may be wary of giving him a massive contract if he is hurt. Soto is a generational talent and teams will be lining up for the chance to sign him.

New York has made it clear that the team wants to re-sign him in the offseason or even have him sign an extension early on if he is willing to do so. This will certainly be an ongoing situation to monitor as the season continues for the Yankees.

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