Ny Yankees Yankees vs La Dodgers Dodgers Picks and Predictions June 8th 2024

Yankees’ Juan Soto Hopes to Return to Lineup vs. Dodgers

Juan Soto felt a combination of relief and frustration on Friday. Although he was in improved condition following treatment for left forearm inflammation, he couldn’t make a meaningful impact in the New York Yankees’ loss to the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers in the first game of their three-game series.

Soto’s Absence and Anticipated Return

Soto sat out his initial game of the season on Friday because of the inflammation. He is optimistic about making a comeback to the lineup on Saturday night.

Soto expressed a desire to be outside. I desire to be actively participating in a game with my fellow team members, aiming for victory and savoring the present moment, but the situation remains as it is. We will continue progressing with what we currently have.

Yankees’ Performance Without Soto

The Yankees lost 2-1 in an 11-inning game without Soto, putting an end to their eight-game winning streak. Teoscar Hernandez drove in two runs with a crucial double against Ian Hamilton in the 11th inning.

“It was a great ballgame,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “You love when you’re scoring, of course, and doing that, but man, it was one of those, there’s a lot of good pitching, good plays, tough at-bats. Both sides had a couple of opportunities to break through and couldn’t. But just a very well-pitched ballgame.”

Earlier on Friday, Soto had an MRI that showed inflammation. He was taken out of Thursday’s 8-5 victory against the Minnesota Twins as a safety measure during a rain delay.

Despite Soto’s absence, the Yankees managed only five hits against Yoshinobu Yamamoto and five relievers. Aaron Judge contributed with an RBI single and extended his on-base streak to 33 games.

Dodgers’ Recent Form

The Dodgers, who are 7-3 in their last 10 games since a five-game losing streak, managed four hits on Friday, a stark contrast to their 14-hit performance in an 11-7 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates the previous day.

Shohei Ohtani scored on Hernandez’s double despite going 0-for-5, and Freddie Freeman, who drew his second walk of the game, also scored on Hernandez’s clutch hit.

“Tonight felt different,” Hernandez said. “I’ve been in a wild-card game and it’s a little different. But it felt like a playoff game today. I like that. I like to play in these atmospheres and try to keep going and do my best.”

Pitching Matchup: Nestor Cortes vs. Gavin Stone

The Yankees will have left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes (3-4, 3.46 ERA) on the mound. Cortes’ performance displays significant differences between his games at home and away. While playing at his home stadium, he has achieved a 3-1 record and maintains an impressive 1.12 ERA, limiting hitters to a .170 batting average. When playing away from home, he has a record of 0 wins and 3 losses with a 6.17 earned run average, and opponents bat .295 against him.

Cortes had two no-decisions during the Yankees’ recent road trip. During his most recent game, he gave up three runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, but the Yankees came back to win in San Francisco.

Cortes will make his debut start against the Dodgers, having previously pitched two scoreless innings in a Yankees win at Dodger Stadium on August 23, 2019.

The Dodgers will send right-hander Gavin Stone (6-2, 2.90 ERA) to the mound in an effort to earn his third victory in a row. Stone has shown extraordinary ability, surrendering seven hits and keep 13 strikeouts in his latest two beginnings, the two successes against the New York Mets and Colorado Rockies, while pitching 12 scoreless innings.

In his last five starts, Stone is 4-1 and has a 1.74 earned run average. This season, he has only given up two runs or fewer in eight games. He has never played against the Yankees.

The Yankees are hoping to return while Soto is intending to return, making this game against the Dodgers significant for the two groups. The exhibition of the Yankees will be impacted by Soto’s return, and it is overall firmly observed by MLB Experts to check whether the Dodgers can proceed with their new solid structure. It is anticipated that both teams will use this match as a turning point in the season.