Insider Reveals Juan Soto's Return Date to Mets

Juan Soto, who has been out since early April, is slated to return to the New York Mets' lineup tomorrow according to MLB Insider Jon Heyman.

Mar 31, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; New York Mets left fielder Juan Soto (22) hits a single against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The New York Mets have been a disaster since Juan Soto went on the injured list, going 3-11 in 14 games without him. With the offense falling off a cliff since his trip to the IL with a calf strain, fans have eagerly been awaiting his return to the lineup.

Breaking: Current plan has Juan Soto returning to Mets tomorrow. He’s needed. @nypostsports

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) April 21, 2026

MLB Insider Jon Heyman was the first to report that Soto is set to return to the Mets' lineup tomorrow night against the Minnesota Twins. The timeline tracks with what David Stearns said in Chicago over the weekend, namely that they were expecting Soto back during their current nine-game home stand.

David Stearns says that his expectation is that Juan Soto will return on the Mets' next homestand pic.twitter.com/05v92AR7pw

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) April 17, 2026

The Mets' offense has been in a tailspin, averaging just 1.7 runs per game over the course of their 11-game losing streak. While Soto's return won't fix everything for New York, getting a perennial MVP candidate that is perhaps the best left-handed hitter in the league back will surely help.

This is crazy. Just crazy. pic.twitter.com/aOp391gQqi

— Joe DeMayo (@PSLToFlushing) April 19, 2026

Over his first eight games of the season Soto hit .355 with a home run, five RBI and a .928 OPS in 21 at-bats. The corresponding move for Soto's return from the IL will likely see Hayden Senger sent back to Triple-A Syracuse, leaving the Mets with two catchers once again.

How Juan Soto's Return Will Impact The Mets' Lineup

Carlos Mendoza experimented with a new lineup grouping over the weekend in Chicago, moving Carson Benge up to the leadoff spot while moving Francisco Lindor down to the three hole. That grouping didn't have a ton of success, so it won't be shocking to see Soto back in the two hole behind Lindor and in front of Bo Bichette.

Getting Soto back will also help fill a key hole in the lineup for Mendoza, who has been juggling rotations in left field, first base and DH for a while now thanks to Jorge Polanco's injury. Putting Soto back in left field will solve one of those issues, allowing Benge to return to right while the trio of MJ Melendez, Brett Baty and Mark Vientos rotate between first and DH.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of Soto's return will be a significant energy boost for a struggling team that is likely going to face a hostile crowd at Citi Field if their offensive woes continue. Soto is a sign of hope that the 11-game losing streak could be an outlier in a tough start to the season, giving the Mets a chance to make up some ground against Minnesota, Colorado and Washington over the next nine days.

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