In Mets world, even when something positive happens, it always seems to come crashing back down to earth. The situation was simple: two outs in the seventh inning, the Mets desperately needing Bo Bichette to come through. Somehow, a miraculous bloop single dropped into center field, tying the game. Seconds later, though, instead of Juan Soto walking to the batter’s box with runners on first and third, it was MJ Melendez emerging from the dugout.
Soto, who returned from the injured list just two weeks ago, fouled a ball off his ankle in the third inning — the pitch ricocheting off the unprotected part of his leg. After taking a moment to gather himself, he stayed in the game and finished the at-bat. Soto would bat again in the sixth, grounding out, but was removed an inning later.
The Mets’ starting designated hitter has gone just 4-for-34 over his last nine games, struggling to find consistency at the plate as opposing teams continue to pitch around him in a lineup that has offered little protection. After striking out in the third inning, Soto stormed back to the dugout and smashed his bat in frustration — a moment that perfectly captured the state of the Mets’ season. As a team, the Mets have been among baseball’s worst offensively, holding a team batting average of .225, while scoring the second-fewest runs in MLB.
Following the game, Carlos Mendoza provided an update, stating Soto’s X-rays came back negative and that the superstar is considered day-to-day — a massive sigh of relief for the Mets.
“The X-rays are negative, so that’s good news there. For now, he is day-to-day. We will see how he comes tomorrow,” said Mendoza. “I was concerned as soon as he was hit. I went out there and could tell he was in a lot of pain. His second at-bat, I knew something was not right.”
Mets broadcaster Gary Cohen summed it up perfectly:
“The Mets just can’t have good things.”
Soto now joins a growing list of Mets starters dealing with injuries, including catcher Francisco Alvarez, who was placed on the injured list after being diagnosed with a torn meniscus. Alvarez is expected to miss 6-to-8 weeks following surgery. The 24-year-old catcher serves as a cornerstone to the Mets future, but injuries have completely derailed a perfect vision, keeping the former No. 1 overall prospect in the MLB sidelined due to several different severe injuries.
Meanwhile, Francisco Lindor is scheduled to undergo an MRI tomorrow to determine the severity of the calf injury he suffered the same day Soto returned to the lineup — another cruel twist in what has become a nightmare season for the Mets. The Mets had Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor in the lineup together just eight times before injuries struck, going 4-4 in those games compared to 12-21 without both stars together.
Beyond Alvarez and Lindor, the Mets are also without Luis Robert Jr. and Jorge Polanco, neither of whom currently has a timetable for a return. In the meantime, AJ Ewing has stepped into a larger outfield role, while Mark Vientos has filled in at first base. If Soto were to land back on the injured list, the Mets could turn to No. 11 prospect Nick Morabito, who already occupies a spot on the club’s 40-man roster.
For Triple-A Syracuse this season, Morabito owns a .248 batting average with four home runs, 15 RBIs, and a .756 OPS. At this point, it may finally be time for the struggling Mets to fully embrace the youth movement — because honestly, what else is left to try?
