Yankees' Juan Soto undergoing tests on forearm after early exit vs. Twins

June 7 (UPI) -- Star outfielder Juan Soto felt forearm discomfort and was removed in the sixth inning of a New York Yankees win over the Minnesota Twins. He will undergo tests Friday to determine the extent of the issue, the team said.

Soto told reporters that he has dealt with the left arm issues for weeks and that a rain delay played a role in his exit from the 8-5 triumph Thursday at Yankee Stadium.

"I actually just woke up one day and felt the tightness and discomfort in my forearm," Soto said. "We've been working on it, and we've been trying to get away with it and it hasn't gone out."

Soto said the arm doesn't hurt when he hits or throws, but is sore when he makes other movements. The three-time All-Star, who leads the American League with a .318 batting average, went 0 for 1 with two walks and a run scored prior to his early exit against the Twins.

The game was delayed for nearly an hour after the fifth inning, giving the Yankees medical team time to examine Soto.

"Once we shut down in the rain delay, that soreness was there," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "We just kinda didn't feel like it was the right thing [for him] to go back out there."

Boone said it was too early to say if Soto will miss time because of the issue. The seven-year veteran could see his streak of 227-consecutive appearances, which started in 2022, end if he is forced off the field.

Soto, 25, recorded 17 home runs and 53 RBIs through 64 games this season. He also totaled an American League-high 290 plate appearances and leads MLB with a .424 on-base percentage.

Soto and the Yankees avoided arbitration in January when they agreed to a one-year, $41 million contract. He is set to hit free agency next off-season.

The Yankees (45-19) own the best record in MLB and hold a 4.5-game lead on the second-place Baltimore Orioles (39-22) in the American League East.

They will host the Los Angeles Dodgers (39-25) at 7:05 p.m. Friday in New York.