NEW YORK -- The Mets can ill afford to lose Juan Soto, their best and most expensive hitter, at any juncture of the season. They can afford it even less with nearly half their starting lineup on the injured list.
So it came as quite a relief Wednesday when X-rays came back negative on Soto’s right ankle, after he fouled a ball off the joint early in the Mets’ 3-2 walk-off win against the Tigers. Soto didn’t stick around for the end of that one, departing in the seventh. But he is day to day with a chance to return to the lineup as soon as Thursday.
Batting in the third inning at Citi Field, Soto fouled a ball hard off the top of his right ankle, prompting a visit from head trainer Joe Golia. Following a lengthy conversation in foul ground, Soto limped back to home plate and struck out, then grounded out weakly in the sixth. He did not return to the plate for his next at-bat in the seventh, instead giving way to pinch-hitter MJ Melendez.
“I was concerned as soon as he got hit, because it got him pretty good there,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We went out there, and you could tell that he was in pain. That second at-bat didn’t look right. Then when I saw the trainer come my way, I knew something was up. That’s when he said, ‘Hey, I’m going to take him for X-rays.’ I’m glad that we got good news.”
Soto, who was unavailable for comment after the game, started at designated hitter, as he has regularly since returning from a right calf strain late last month. Overall this season, he is batting .263/.357/.444 with four homers and 15 walks in 27 games.
Even with Soto healthy, the Mets still have nearly half their starting lineup on the injured list. Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, Luis Robert Jr. and Francisco Alvarez are all in the midst of extended absences, along with backups Ronny Mauricio and Jared Young. Soto himself missed two and a half weeks in April but has played almost every inning since his return on April 22, splitting time between DH and left field.