The New York Mets nearly began the second half of the their 2026 campaign without any worry.
Despite defeating the Philadelphia Phillies Thursday night 4-1, Juan Soto notably departed the game in the eighth inning and was replaced by Tyrone Taylor. While the initial thought behind Soto's departure was defense-related, it turned out to be a bit more serious than that.
It was announced shortly after New York's win that Soto exited due to left calf soreness. The good news is that Mets interim manager Andy Green doesn't anticipate the 27-year-old to miss any time and will still play this weekend against Philadelphia.
This injury scare for Soto comes after he missed 15 games early in the season due to left calf soreness. The Mets, however, emphasized that it's not the same calf he strained.
Perhaps even better news for the Mets and Soto is that they will be enjoying a rare off day on Friday before continuing their weekend series against the Phillies. That off day could be very important if Soto's calf is not 100%.
Soto is the midst of a stellar second season in Flushing after signing his record-breaking 15-year, $765 million deal in December 2024. Across 79 games, Soto is slashing .292/.412/.563 with 21 home runs, 51 RBI and a .975 OPS. The superstar outfielder was also selected to his fifth career All-Star Game this year and his first with the Mets.
Despite the Amazins' being in the midst of a disappointing season, Soto has been perhaps their lone bright spot as the ballclub gears up to potentially sell off some pieces ahead of the August 3 trade deadline. Soto, of course, is not going anywhere.
The Mets improved to 41-57 on the season with their post-All-Star break win over the Phillies, but remain in last place in the NL East.
