Juan Soto's Calf Strain Puts Mets Star on IL, Out 2 to 3 Weeks
The New York Mets just put one of baseball's best hitters on the shelf. Juan Soto suffered a minor right calf strain running the bases Friday against the San Francisco Giants and landed on the injured list Monday. The team expects him sidelined for two to three weeks, which means the Mets are losing their hot-hitting left fielder right when they should be rolling.
How It Happened
Soto, 27, strained the calf advancing from first base to third in the first inning of the Mets' win. He was forced out at home and removed from the game. An MRI on Saturday confirmed the injury, and Soto told reporters in San Francisco that the discomfort felt similar to a left calf injury he suffered back in July 2022. That time, he left after five innings but returned the next day. This one looks a bit more serious.
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👉 Claim Your Free $10 at KalshiThis marks only the second non-COVID IL stint of Soto's career and the first since May 2021, when he missed two weeks with a strained left shoulder playing for the Washington Nationals. The guy has been an iron man, playing at least 157 games over the past three seasons and 150 or more during his six full major league seasons.
Soto Was Just Getting Hot
The timing stings. The four-time All-Star was off to a tremendous start in his second season with the Mets, going 11-for-34 with a .928 OPS through eight games. Last season, he clubbed 43 home runs with 38 stolen bases and a .921 OPS. He was supposed to carry this lineup into April and beyond.
Jared Young stepped into left field for Saturday and Sunday as the Mets won both games to take the four-game series. The team also has Tyrone Taylor and Brett Baty as other options in left field during Soto's absence. To fill the roster spot, the Mets recalled infielder Ronny Mauricio from Triple-A Syracuse on Monday.
The Mets are off Monday and start a three-game series at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday. The team moved up first pitch for Tuesday and Wednesday's games from 7:10 p.m. to 4:10 p.m. ET due to expected cold weather and windy conditions.
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