Juan Soto's Mets Exit Early Amid Injury Concerns
Mets slugger Juan Soto exited Friday night's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth inning due to soreness in his ailing left calf, sparking concerns about his availability for the remainder of the season.
The Mets' lone All-Star has been dealing with calf discomfort since July 16, when he left in the eighth inning of a win in Philadelphia. He has played in five games since tweaking his calf, but was unable to finish Friday's game after walking in both of his plate appearances against Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki.
Mets interim manager Andy Green expressed concern about Soto's level of discomfort, stating, "We certainly hoped we were behind it and done talking about this, but he felt it pushing off going to second base when he was on the bases." Green added that the team will likely get an image of Soto's calf on Saturday and try to determine the extent of the injury.
Soto has already spent 2 1/2 weeks on the injured list in April due to a mild strain in his right leg. This season, he is hitting .283 with 21 home runs and a .947 OPS.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, capitalized on Soto's early exit to secure a 4-2 win over the Mets. Shohei Ohtani drove in the go-ahead run with a seventh-inning sacrifice fly, and the Dodgers tacked on insurance runs in the top of the eighth.
Sasaki, a 23-year-old flamethrower, limited the Mets to one run on three hits over seven innings, striking out nine in the process. The Mets' late-inning woes spoiled a season-best start from Sean Manaea, who held the Dodgers to one run over six innings.
The loss dropped the Mets to 0-4 this season against the Dodgers, who have a significant edge in the season series. The Dodgers own MLB's best record, while the Mets continue to struggle with injuries and underperformance.
On Saturday, the Mets will face the Dodgers in a marquee pitching matchup between Nolan McLean and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The game will be a crucial test for the Mets' ability to bounce back from their latest setback, and may have significant implications for their playoff hopes.
The Mets will likely need to make a decision about Soto's availability in the coming days, and will likely rely on further medical evaluation to determine the extent of his injury. As Green noted, "I think any time you get an image, you're concerned. Concerned enough to do it. We'll wait until [Saturday] and figure out what we're dealing with."
Source: Yahoo Sports