Soto’s Injury and Mets’ Struggles
New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a left calf strain. The team announced the move on Saturday, following Soto’s early exit from Friday’s 4-2 loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Concerns exist that Soto could be sidelined for a period longer than the 15 games he previously missed earlier in the season due to an injured list stint.
During the sixth inning of the game against the Dodgers, Soto experienced soreness in his left calf. He had two plate appearances, drawing two walks, before being replaced by pinch hitter Jorge Polanco. Interim manager Andy Green indicated that Soto felt the issue while running the bases and was scheduled for an MRI on his left calf. Green noted that the calf had been bothering Soto for approximately a week.
Prior to Friday’s game, Green had acknowledged Soto’s calf issue but stated that the player could continue to play. He also expressed hope that the calf would no longer be a topic of discussion with reporters, mentioning that it was improving for Soto.
Previous Calf Issues and Performance
This is not the first calf issue for Juan Soto this season. He was previously on the injured list in early April with a right calf strain, which kept him out for more than two weeks. More recently, Soto had been dealing with discomfort in his left calf, leading him to sit out Wednesday’s 4-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
In an effort to reduce stress on his calf, Soto had been starting as the designated hitter for the past seven games, rather than his usual position in right field. Despite these injury concerns, Soto has maintained strong offensive numbers this season. He holds a slash line of .283/.404/.539 across 357 plate appearances. He leads the Mets with 21 home runs and 52 RBI. His .404 on-base percentage is the best in the National League, and he is tied for second in MLB with a .947 OPS.
To fill Soto’s spot on the roster, the Mets have recalled infielder Eric Wagaman from Triple-A Syracuse. Wagaman has a slash line of .360/.441/.540 in 59 appearances this season. In an earlier stint with the Mets, he batted .162 with a .586 OPS.
Mets’ Recent Games and Standings
The Mets‘ loss to the Dodgers on Friday dropped their season record to 43-61. The team currently occupies last place in the NL East. They have struggled since the All-Star break, losing four of seven games, and their July record stands at 7-11.
In Friday’s game, Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki pitched 7 innings, allowing 1 run and 3 hits while striking out 9 batters. Kyle Tucker hit a 2-run home run in the eighth inning off Mets reliever A.J. Minter, extending the Dodgers‘ lead to 4-1. The Mets‘ two runs came from solo home runs by Luis Robert Jr. in the second inning and Francisco Alvarez in the eighth.
Sean Manaea pitched 6 innings for the Mets, giving up 1 run and 6 hits. Brooks Raley took the loss, allowing the go-ahead run in the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly by Shohei Ohtani. The Mets began a three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field last night.
Source: sports.yahoo.com