Mets' New Juan Soto Concern Leads Top 3 Injury Stories Around MLB

A day of additions, subtractions, and question marks

Apr 22, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Juan Soto (22) during warmups before a game against the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Tuesday felt like a particularly busy day of injury news around Major League Baseball, which might have been overshadowed somewhat by the big event of the day -- the Philadelphia Phillies firing manager Rob Thomson.

Three other big-market teams -- the New York Mets, New York Yankees, and Toronto Blue Jays -- had major injury-related storylines that could impact outcomes of games for the weeks and maybe months to come.

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Juan Soto dealing with forearm tightness

Apr 23, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) runs the bases during the second inning against the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Mets, who have matched the Phillies' abysmal 9-19 record to this point, could ill-afford to lose anyone after Francisco Lindor was placed on the injured list last week with a calf strain. But now Soto, who missed two weeks this month with his own calf strain, is now dealing with a new issue.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Soto has forearm tightness that will limit him to designated hitter duties for the time being. If his bat isn't impacted by the injury, the Mets will have to feel like they dodged a bullet. Still, it's far from ideal since it hampers their ability to construct a flexible lineup.

Giancarlo Stanton placed on 10-day injured list

Apr 22, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) reacts as he scores a run off a three vrun home run against the Boston Red Sox by third baseman Amed Rosario (14) (not pictured) at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The Yankees had kept Stanton out of action since Friday, when he first noticed pain in his calf, and on Monday, an MRI revealed a low-grade strain. His IL placement was retroactive to Saturday, but there's definitely a solid chance he misses more than the 10-day minimum requirement.

Also of note: The Yankees called up infielder Max Schuemann in his place, which leaves them with 14 position players and 12 pitchers for at least one more day. Schuemann could very well be optioned or designated for assignment on Wednesday to accommodate the major league debut of pitching prospect Elmer Rodríguez.

Trey Yesavage activated from 15-day IL

Mar 29, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage (39) looks on before a game against the Athletics at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

After his explosive postseason debut capped off a whirlwind first season in professional baseball, Yesavage was slow-played a bit by the Blue Jays this spring, starting the year on the IL with what was deemed a right shoulder impingement.

But on Tuesday, the Boston Red Sox will get their first crack at this excellent young arm, in a move that not only provides key reinforcements for Toronto, but could kickstart a longstanding division rivalry matchup with Boston rookie Payton Tolle.