New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto strained his right calf during Friday's 10-3 win over the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. An MRI on Saturday revealed a minor strain, with manager Carlos Mendoza describing the news as mixed. Soto is listed as day-to-day, with the team monitoring his response over the next 48 to 72 hours.
SAN FRANCISCO -- Juan Soto felt his right calf grab in the first inning Friday while running from first to third base on Bo Bichette's single during the Mets' 10-3 victory over the Giants. Forced out at home on Brett Baty's double-play comebacker, Soto reported the injury to medical staff and was removed immediately, with Tyrone Taylor replacing him in left field. Soto had singled earlier in the inning and was one of the Mets' early-season standouts, hitting 11-for-31 with a homer. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza took no chances, sending Soto for an MRI Saturday morning. The imaging showed a minor strain, which Mendoza called the 'bad news' part of the mixed update. Soto felt better upon waking and was walking well, surprising both himself and Mendoza. 'I’ve experienced calf tightness before,' Soto said. 'This is definitely not the worst I’ve felt. So I feel positive with that.' He compared it to a 2022 left calf injury with the Nationals, from which he returned the next day after exiting early. Mendoza termed Soto day-to-day and would not rule out the injured list if symptoms linger. 'The calf is tricky, so we’ll wait,' Mendoza said. Soto did not rule out returning Sunday, the series finale. With center fielder Luis Robert Jr. starting, Baty is expected to play most left-field starts in Soto's absence; Baty played right Saturday, with Jared Young in left. Triple-A callups were not discussed, and veteran Tommy Pham remains unavailable after signing late. Teammates expressed support. 'You never want to lose a guy like that,' second baseman Marcus Semien said. Catcher Francisco Alvarez added, 'Juan is one of the key pieces to this lineup... but if guys step up we can be OK.'