Juan Soto left the Mets’ game against the Dodgers on Friday, July 25, in the sixth inning with left calf discomfort. Interim manager Andy Green didn’t rule out a second IL stint for the Venezuelan slugger in 2026. A Saturday MRI will tell the team how serious things are — and the timing couldn’t be worse. Soto is slashing a .947 OPS, third-best in all of baseball, and is the only Mets representative at the 2026 All-Star Game.
How It Happened and What the Manager Said
The discomfort first showed up when Soto pushed toward second base in the third inning, but he stayed in the game until the coaching staff pulled him in the sixth. Green was straightforward at his postgame press conference: there’s a real chance the outfielder ends up on the injured list.
«We have to see the MRI results before making any decision,» the interim manager said.
What makes the situation more complicated is that since returning from the All-Star break last week, the coaching staff had already been managing Soto’s workload carefully. This wasn’t a bolt from the blue.
A Different Injury Than the One in April
Soto already spent time on the IL this season — a right calf strain in April kept him out for more than two weeks. Friday’s issue involves the opposite leg, the left calf, and the discomfort reportedly started around July 16. It’s not a recurrence; these are two separate injuries within the same season, which is itself a red flag for the training staff.
In nine years in the big leagues, Soto has never missed this much time in a single season. Historically he’s been durable, finishing below 150 games played just twice in his career. What’s happening in 2026 is an exception, not a structural pattern.
What the Mets Lose If Soto Goes Back on the IL
Soto’s numbers across 84 games this year speak for themselves:
- .283 AVG
- 21 home runs
- 52 RBI
- .947 OPS — 3rd in MLB
He is the team’s lone All-Star in 2026. Without him, the Mets lose their best bat at a moment when they’re sitting at 43-60, last place in the NL East.
The financial stakes add another layer of pressure. Soto signed the largest contract in baseball history in December 2024 — 15 years, $765 million. Having the centerpiece of that investment hit the IL once and potentially again in the same season complicates the plans of a franchise that bet everything on landing him.
The Saturday MRI is the first piece of the puzzle. The Mets are hoping for good news.
