Juan Soto Plays Through Injury, Blasts Two-Run Homer In Yankees Win

Two pitches after going down with an apparent injury in the sixth inning, Yankees slugger Juan Soto returned to the batter’s box and blasted a go-ahead two-run home run, driving in New York’s first runs in 15 combined innings. It was a signature moment for Soto, as the Yanks went on to beat the Royals 4-3 in 11 innings and take a 1.5-game lead in the A.L. East.

Soto limped off during the at-bat in the sixth inning after fouling a ball off his foot, eventually going down and struggling to get back on his feet. Instead of exiting, however, Soto stayed in, took the next pitch, and blasted a hanging curveball to give New York a 2-1 lead.

“It was a lot of pain, but at the end of the day I tried to focus on the at-bat,” Soto said, according to ESPN. “Sometimes when you hit yourself like that, you kind of go away a little bit from the at-bat so I tried to just focus, take my time and go in there and make good contact.”

Soto has lived up to his billing in 2024, and losing him weeks before the playoffs would have been devastating for the Yankees. Instead, he delivered again, and should be a force beside A.L. MVP favorite Aaron Judge as the team looks to win a long-awaited World Series title.

Through 142 games, Soto is batting .289 with 39 home runs and 100 RBIs, an overwhelmingly positive season in his first season in the Bronx. With a likely free agency battle on the horizon, he has positioned himself as one of the most valuable players in baseball. Even at the Yankees’ lowest points this season, he has been a beacon at the plate.

While Soto’s next contract is a topic of intense speculation, but there’s still plenty to do in the present. Despite bumbling their way through most of the summer, the Yankees have retaken the lead over the Orioles for the division. With 16 games to go, however, there’s still plenty of time to blow a 1.5-game lead. A healthy Soto will likely be necessary to avoid a Wild Card seeding.