Washington Nationals star outfielder Juan Soto exited Monday’s game against the Atlanta Braves in the ninth inning after limping around the outfield. He was due to bat second in the bottom of the ninth but Ehire Adrianza pinch-hit in his place.
Following the Nationals’ 9-5 loss, manager Davey Martinez provided an update on Soto.
Soto bumped his knee against the corner of the bench after slipping in the Nationals’ dugout, per Matt Weyrich of NBC Sports. The knee became sore enough for Martinez to pull Soto from the game. The team will wait and see how he feels on Tuesday.
The start of the game was delayed by one hour and 30 minutes due to rain. It’s unclear if Soto’s slip was as a result. Soto’s slip was the second freak incident that forced a player out of the game. Braves infielder Ozzie Albies fractured his left foot after slipping out of the batter’s box on a groundout to third.
Earlier in the day, Martinez announced Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg was going back on the injured list after feeling discomfort following a bullpen session.
Fingers are surely crossed with hope Soto wasn’t seriously injured. The 23-year old is having a down season with a career-low slash line of .228/.378/.455 in 63 games. However, he has 13 home runs, 28 RBI, 52 walks and five stolen bases.
An absence would hamper his chances of turning the season around. In addition, the Nationals have a 23-40 record. The way their season has gone, general manager Mike Rizzo already stated the team will be sellers ahead of the Aug. 2 trade deadline.
An injury could shrink the number of opportunities Soto will have batting next to Nelson Cruz and Josh Bell in the order.
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