ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Juan Soto struck out three in the third inning on Tuesday night and whiffed, immediately sporting a concerned frown.
The Yankees star continued to play in games, returning to the lineup on Wednesday and going 2-for-4 in a much-needed 2-1 win over the Rays.
But manager Aaron Boone acknowledged that the awkward swing was due to pain in his right hand, which Soto still feels at times after slamming it into the ground in a game against the Blue Jays on June 28.
“Every now and then he’s going to take some swings that are a little concerning, he’s going to whiff,” Boone said Wednesday at Tropicana Field, “but overall, he’s doing pretty well. Obviously, it hasn’t really affected his ability to impact the ball.”
After initially suffering a bruised hand, Soto hit a home run in a few innings, but was ruled out the next day after having difficulty swinging the bat.
He was recovered enough to be added to the lineup late the next day and hasn’t missed a game since, but as of Wednesday he was batting just 5-for-29 (.172) with eight walks, one home run and a .662 OPS in the eight games since the injury.
“He’s certainly been through some stuff, but I don’t think it’s anything that we’re too worried about,” Boone said.
Giancarlo Stanton, who Boone said “ran a lot” on Tuesday, could be ready to play when the Yankees return from the All-Star break next Friday.
The team is still discussing whether Stanton, who is returning from a hamstring injury he suffered June 22, will require a rehab assignment before returning.
Stanton missed six weeks last year with a hamstring injury but played just one rehab game before returning to the Yankees.
He hit a home run and a double in his first two games back, but then fell into a slump.
“We’re going to take all of that into consideration,” Boone said. “Some of the tools that we have available to us right now will change the game a little bit, the way guys are prepared and how they’re able to look at things. We’ll try to make the best decision for everybody.”
The Yankees signed left-handed relief pitcher Tim Maza. He was drafted by the Blue Jays and signed a minor league contract.
Mayza, who allowed Aaron Judge’s 61st home run in 2022, had an 8.03 ERA in 35 games for the Blue Jays this season, partly due to a decline in his pitch velocity.
But he only posted a 1.52 ERA in 69 games last year, and the Yankees will be hoping they can utilize that again.
“We’ll see how it goes,” Boone said. “It’s a pretty good track record. He’s had a tough year … but he’s a guy who’s done really well in the AL East.”
The Yankees are expected to be active on the relief pitcher trade market before the July 30 deadline, and this is a low-risk deal for them.
The bullpen has struggled overall, but left-handers Caleb Ferguson and Victor Gonzalez in particular. (He has already been designated for assignment) and is not showing his true potential.
DJ Lemay During his at-bat, he was hit hard by a 92 mph fastball that struck the little finger of his left hand, then bounced off and fouled off the ball, striking him in the neck just below the chin.
After being treated by trainers and Boone both times (the second time he needed a longer rest), he remained in the game.
“He just seemed to get better as the game went on,” Boone said. “DJ said, yeah, he’s 100 percent OK. We’ll have to be careful, but I think we’ll be OK.”
Soto stole second base in the eighth inning, marking the Yankees’ first stolen base since June 14 and ending a 21-game streak without a stolen base.
