Juan Soto, who was a surprise entry in Sunday’s lineup in Toronto after initially being held out with a bruised right hand, was back in right field Tuesday in The Bronx, with Aaron Boone confident Soto’s hand issue was behind him following Monday’s off day.
“I think we’re good,” Boone said before the Yankees lost to the Reds, 5-4. “Getting through the last couple days, there was swelling and a pain-tolerance thing. I feel like we’re in a good spot moving forward.”
He didn’t need to undergo more testing on the hand Monday, Boone said after Soto went 0-for-3 with a walk in the loss.
Soto, who played in all 162 games with the Padres last season, has missed four games this year — including Saturday’s game against the Blue Jays, when X-rays were negative on his hand.
He missed time earlier in the season with left forearm inflammation. Soto has remained productive, with a .900 OPS in 18 games since returning from the forearm injury entering Tuesday.
Right-hander Scott Effross might be back in the bullpen following the All-Star break, according to Boone.
“That could potentially be in play,’’ Boone said.
Effross has been out since 2022 following Tommy John surgery, with his comeback delayed by December back surgery.
He is expected to have another rehab outing Wednesday with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Effross struggled in his second appearance with SWB and has allowed five hits in 2¹/₃ innings, but the Yankees would like to see the pitcher they acquired from the Cubs at the trade deadline in 2022.
“That’s the hope,’’ Boone said of Effross returning to form. “He’s looked pretty good. … He doesn’t look far off from what he was.”
Giancarlo Stanton, on the IL with a left hamstring strain, is progressing with an anticipated return in a few weeks possible.
Boone said Stanton hit, threw and did some light running Tuesday.
“It seems like he’s moving in the right direction,’’ Boone said.
Clarke Schmidt said his throwing program began slightly earlier than initially expected as he recovers from a strained right lat.
After playing catch last week, the right-hander said he was able to move back to 75 feet on Monday and throw with more intensity.
“There’s no soreness, so it’s going well,’’ said Schmidt, who has been out since late May.
Caleb Ferguson has been scored upon in four of his past six appearances, and the Yankees have lost each of the past six times the lefty has pitched.
After three-straight two-hit games following his brief benching, Gleyber Torres had an RBI single in the sixth. … Jose Trevino has just two hits in his past 25 at-bats.