The New York Mets have had a rough 2026 season, last in the National League East with a 34-44 record, and the latest news provides even more challenges. During Tuesday night's 9-6 loss to the Chicago Cubs, outfielder Juan Soto exited the game early with lower back tightness and was seen wearing a back brace in the dugout.
His status was immediately set to day-to-day. Manager Carlos Mendoza did not rule out the possibility of Soto heading to the injured list. The Mets will make that decision once he is evaluated on Wednesday, per ESPN's Jorge Castillo. The expectation is that, at a minimum, Soto will be out for today's doubleheader against Chicago.
Soto has been the top offensive player on the Mets roster, slashing .299/.395/.570 with 17 home runs, eight more than the next-closest player on the team. The 27-year-old has had a string of injuries since joining the Mets, most recently a calf strain that took him out of commission for 15 games.
The Mets can't seem to stay healthy enough to have a fully stacked lineup at one time. Currently, Francisco Lindor is on his way back to the team after spending nearly two months on the injured list.
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Wednesday's evaluation could not be more important for the Mets as the team eyes another season of disappointing results. 10 games back of a .500 record is hard to overcome. 10 games back of a .500 record is even harder to overcome when the team's offensive hitter could miss significant time away from the field.
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