TORONTO – About 10 to 15 minutes before first pitch on Sunday, Juan Soto walked into Aaron Boone’s office and asked if it was too late to get in the lineup.
The star right fielder did not play in the Yankees’ first game, as he spent the morning receiving further treatment for his bruised right hand and then batting in the cage – which had proven too difficult a day earlier.
But on Sunday things went much more smoothly and suddenly Soto was ready to play in the series finale against the Blue Jays.
“We kind of fought through it and changed everything, and obviously he played a big part in us getting through it,” Boone said after the Yankees’ 8-1 win at Rogers Centre.
Soto went 1-for-3 with two walks, hit a line-drive single in his first at-bat and scored on Aaron Judge’s home run.
He said he felt good while batting, but catching the ball in right field was “a little difficult.”
Although Soto said his hand was still a bit swollen after Sunday’s game, he felt it was good enough to try.
“I think it was a spot where I could help my team,” Soto said. “I felt good warming up. I know I have a pretty good chance to win a ballgame out there today, so I went for it.”
It remains to be seen whether Soto will need further imaging tests on his hand in New York on Monday.
Before Sunday’s game, he indicated he would likely undergo an MRI or CT scan, but said after the game that would be a conversation with a team doctor.
The Yankees had delayed releasing their roster for most of the morning to see if Soto could play, leaving him out for now.
Especially given the day off on Monday, it would have made sense to play it safe and give Soto an additional day of rest.
“The most important thing and what I told him this morning when he got here — because I knew he was getting better and he seemed to be getting significantly better — was that I didn’t want him to affect his swing or do anything,” Boone said. “After he hit, the hitting coaches who were concerned (on Saturday) said after everything, ‘He looked great.’ The coaches signed it off, so we were good to go.”
Gleyber Torres, who has developed a close bond with Soto, said they were concerned about his thumb on Saturday night.
On Sunday, shortly before the first pitch, these concerns were dispelled, at least for that day.
“I heard him hitting in the cage and it sounded pretty loud, so I thought that was a good sign,” Judge said. “I’m happy to have him back out there and he’s back to doing what he does in the first inning, which was nice.”
