Just when it appeared the Mets were finally getting healthier, another injury concern emerged Tuesday night at Citi Field.
Superstar outfielder Juan Soto exited New York’s 9-6 loss to the Chicago Cubs after four innings with what the club described as left-side back tightness, creating yet another hurdle for a Mets team that has spent much of the season battling injuries to key players.
Soto appeared uncomfortable from the outset. The four-time All-Star visibly grimaced after making contact during both of his at-bats, first on a fly ball to left field in the opening inning and later on a line drive to center in the third. Cameras also showed him wearing a heating pad in the dugout before he was eventually removed from the game.
Following the loss, manager Carlos Mendoza said Soto received treatment during the contest but reached a point where the discomfort began affecting multiple aspects of his game.
“He got treatment during the game, but you could tell something was off,” Mendoza said. “It was bothering him to throw and to get his ‘A’ swing on it. At that point, it was best to get him out of the game.”
The Mets are currently listing Soto as day-to-day.
The injury scare comes at a particularly concerning time for New York. Soto has been carrying the offense for much of the season, entering Tuesday batting .299 with 17 home runs and a .965 OPS in 61 games. The 27-year-old already missed time earlier this year with a calf strain, and the Mets struggled mightily during that stretch, dropping 12 consecutive games and going 3-12 while he was sidelined.
Ironically, Soto’s injury concern surfaced just as the Mets appear poised to welcome another franchise cornerstone back to the lineup.
Francisco Lindor, who has been sidelined since April with a calf strain, continued his rehab assignment Tuesday at Triple-A Syracuse, going 2-for-5 with two runs scored while playing eight innings at shortstop. Mendoza indicated Lindor could be activated as soon as Wednesday, potentially during the club’s scheduled doubleheader against Chicago.
Whether Lindor’s return can offset the uncertainty surrounding Soto remains to be seen.
For a Mets club fighting to climb back into contention, the health of its two biggest stars may ultimately determine whether the season can be salvaged. Tuesday’s loss dropped another frustrating chapter into what has already been a difficult campaign, and now all eyes shift to Soto’s condition heading into a critical doubleheader.
The Mets are expected to evaluate him further before determining his availability moving forward.
