NATS’ SOTO EASES BACK

NL batting champion Juan Soto will be limited to pinch-hitting duty for now with Washington after coming off the injured list.

Soto missed 10 games with a strained left shoulder and wasn’t in the starting lineup Tuesday night against Atlanta. Manager Dave Martinez said the injury no longer bothers Soto while hitting, but he is not yet ready to play the outfield.

Soto was hitting .300 with two homers and eight RBI in 14 games before getting hurt. He hit an NL-best .351 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Martinez did not provide a timetable for when Soto would return to right field but said he likely would be the designated hitter during this weekend’s interleague series at Yankee Stadium.