Juan Soto was pulled from Game 1 of the Nats' doubleheader vs. the Braves. Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports

Nationals' Juan Soto scratched for doubleheader opener with elbow soreness

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Sep 4, 2020 5:08 PM ET

The Washington Nationals announced Friday afternoon that left fielder Juan Soto had been pulled from the lineup for Game 1 of a doubleheader versus the Atlanta Braves due to left elbow soreness. Josh Harrison took Soto's place in the lineup.

It's another costly loss for the defending World Series champions that began the afternoon last in the National League East standings at 12-23 during the pandemic-shortened season. Soto, 21, is hitting .354 with 11 home runs, 26 RBI, seven doubles, and a 1.211 OPS across 27 games this summer.

He played Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies and went 2-3 with an RBI.

Soto didn't debut this season until Aug. 5 due to a positive coronavirus test the club discovered ahead of an Opening Day showdown with the New York Yankees.

Per the team's official website, Soto is hitting .308 with 10 homers and a 1.107 OPS in 34 career contests against the Braves.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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