NEW YORK (AP) — Padres left fielder Juan Soto was a late scratch from San Diego’s game against the New York Yankees on Sunday because of back tightness.
The injury was announced about 10 minutes before first pitch.
Soto was held out of the starting lineup for the first time this season and replaced by José Azocar. Soto was set to bat third in San Diego’s original lineup, and Xander Bogaerts moved to that spot after not starting Saturday because of wrist soreness.
Soto hit a two-run homer Friday in a 5-1 win after fouling a pitch off his left knee. He hit a 432-foot drive to right field that came off the bat at 114 mph, the Padres’ hardest-hit home run this season.
Soto is batting .263 with 10 homers and 24 RBIs in his first full season with the Padres, who acquired him from Washington at last year’s trade deadline. He went 0 for 2 with two walks Saturday in a 3-2, 10-inning loss to extend his on-base streak to 11 games.
