Nats' Soto leaves game, day to day after spraining ankle

NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto has been diagnosed with a right ankle sprain after being pulled from the Washington Nationals' 7-4 victory over the New York Mets on Sunday.

The 20-year-old star came out of the game after turning his ankle running the bases in the seventh inning. Soto went first-to-third on Asdrubal Cabrera's two-out, two-run double and was injured trying to slow down after third base coach Bob Henley threw up a late stop sign. The team said he is day to day after X-rays were negative.

The Mets tagged him out to end the inning, and Soto spiked his helmet, hobbled into the outfield and then was visited by a trainer.

"I just went 100 percent running to the plate and Bobby tried to stop me," Soto said. "When I tried to stop, my ankle just rolled over."

Soto remained in shallow left field for a few minutes, attempted to warm up defensively for the next inning, but then returned to the dugout. He was replaced by Victor Robles. Soto broke the same ankle in 2017.

Robles later provided a pair of insurance runs in the ninth with a two-run homer.

"I told the trainers that I just came out to let him hit a homer," Soto joked.

Soto was 0 for 2 with two walks. He has reached base in 17 straight games and hit two home runs Saturday. Soto is hitting .289 with 24 home runs and 77 RBIs and ranks among the NL leaders in both walks and on-base percentage.