Mets, Soto still have decision looming on potential IL stint
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While the Mets handled business in San Francisco without Juan Soto -- winning three of four games against the Giants -- the club would, obviously, rather have its cornerstone player on the field. We’re still in a holding pattern to see when that will happen.
The Mets did not immediately place Soto on the injured list after he was removed from Friday’s game, experiencing tightness rounding second base on a Bo Bichette single. Soto then had an MRI done on his right calf on Saturday, which revealed a minor strain.
When speaking with reporters about the results of the imaging, Soto held that he felt good and was even surprised by the diagnosis. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza relayed a similar sentiment, considering the positive attitude and smooth gait Soto displayed around the clubhouse, and deemed his superstar “day-to-day.”
Mendoza said the club would wait 48-72 hours to see how things developed before any decisions were made regarding a potential placement on the IL. With the team off on Monday (roughly 48 hours from Soto’s diagnosis), perhaps we’ll have more clarity before a 7:10 p.m. ET first pitch on Tuesday at Citi Field against the Diamondbacks.
If he were to land on the IL, Soto’s stay could be backdated to Saturday.
“I’ve experienced calf tightness before,” Soto said Saturday. “This is definitely not the worst I’ve felt. So I feel positive with that.”
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Soto started 2026 11-for-31 with a home run and five RBIs, carrying a .355/.412/.516 slash line.
“We’ll wait,” Mendoza said Saturday. “We’ll continue to call it day-by-day until we have to make a decision.”
“That’s a tricky area there,” Mendoza added. “We’re gonna have to be really, really careful with him.”
The Mets anticipated Brett Baty handling most of Soto’s missed innings in left field, though Baty jammed his left thumb Saturday night and was scratched for Sunday’s game.
Baty was expected to be available to pinch-hit Sunday but was not needed. His replacement, Jared Young, went 3-for-3 before giving way to Luis Torrens as a pinch-hitter, who drove in two on a double.
The Mets are 6-4, riding a three-game winning streak as they return home to host the Diamondbacks. Any positive news on Soto would only be a boost to some already-good mojo for New York.