Even though told reporters His knee had felt good earlier on Wednesday, with national team midfielder Juan Soto out of the squad for the second straight game.
Soto slipped in the Nationals dug hole and hit his knee on the bench against the Atlanta Braves on Monday. The incident occurred before the top of the ninth inning. He is seen limping outside in the yard in the frame. He was eventually knocked out of the game and won the pinch to secure his spot at the bottom of the ninth table.
X-rays come back cleanbut he was not in the squad for Tuesday’s game for precautionary reasons, according to Nationals manager Dave Martinez.
It is expected that Soto will be back in the squad on Wednesday. The 23-year-old even told reporters: “I’m fine, all is well” after undergoing training exercises with the team’s medical director.
When Wednesday’s lineup debuted, Soto was overlooked.
Martinez told reporters earlier in the day, he wanted to keep Soto out of the squad and have him pushed off the bench so as not to aggravate his knees.
