Yankees scratch Soto, then use him in pinch to help beat A’s

OAKLAND, Calif. —  New York Yankees star right fielder Juan Soto was scratched from Friday night’s lineup a day after hurting his left leg sliding into a wall to make a catch, but later appeared as a pinch hitter, hitting an RBI double in the 10th inning of a 4-2 win against the Athletics.

Soto was originally in the lineup for the series opener but was pulled after reporting soreness and swelling in the leg. Manager Aaron Boone said X-rays were negative and Soto would not need additional testing.

Soto entered a 1-1 game in the 10th, and after Jasson Domínguez scored on a passed ball, the star slugger made it 3-1 with a double to left. He was then removed for a pinch runner. 

Soto hurt the leg Thursday in Seattle when he slid into the short wall in foul territory down the right-field line while making a highlight-reel catch. He remained in the game.

Boone noted that he wasn’t “overly concerned” that the injury will linger into the postseason. The Yankees clinched a playoff berth Wednesday night and have a four-game lead in the AL East over Baltimore with eight games to play.

“Guys do a good job of knowing how to protect themselves and playing smart in certain situations,” Boone said before the game. “I think him getting down the way he did protected him a little bit. Obviously, he bruised it and he’s out today. But I think the way he did it avoided something serious.”

Soto is batting .288 with 40 homers and 104 RBIs in his first season with the Yankees. He entered the day second in the majors with 125 walks, 284 times on base and a .418 on-base percentage, trailing only teammate Aaron Judge in all three categories. Soto is third in the majors with 120 runs scored.

Soto missed three games in June with left forearm inflammation.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.