Mets Lose Juan Soto to Injury in Latest Concern

The New York Mets cannot afford to be without outfielder Juan Soto. But on Friday, Soto left the game due to injury.

Apr 2, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (22) reacts after scoring a run on an RBI double hit by infielder Bo Bichette (19) against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

All of Mets nation will now be holding their breath.

In the Mets' game against the San Francisco Giants on Friday night, left fielder Juan Soto exited the contest due to what the team is initially calling right calf tightness.

The severity of the injury is currently unknown and will determine whether Soto requires imaging or not.

Soto appeared to grimace in pain after running from first-to-third base in the top of the first inning on a Bo Bichette RBI single. Soto stayed in the game and was thrown out at home on a Brett Baty double play.

However, Tyrone Taylor replaced Soto in left field to start the bottom of the first inning.

Soto, 27, is hitting .355 with a .928 OPS in eight games this season. He extended his hitting streak to eight games tonight.

The Mets cannot afford to be without their best player in Soto for any period of time this season. New York will be hoping that Soto's calf issue isn't anything serious and that he can get back into action on Saturday.

On the other hand, it's only eight games into the season and the Mets should be cautious with Soto in order to not risk worsening his injury.

Soto has proven to be highly durable throughout his nine-year MLB career. Soto has played in at least 160 games in two of the last three seasons. He has also played in at least 150 games in every full season dating back to 2019.

If Soto is forced to miss any time, the Mets could be without two of the top four hitters in their lineup. First baseman/DH Jorge Polanco is dealing with achilles tendinitis and was out of the lineup for the second time in four games on Friday night. Polanco has not been able to play first base since last Saturday. The Mets are taking it day-by-day with Polanco, but could put him on the IL if this ailment continues to linger on.

As previously mentioned, it's a very long season. There are 153 games left in the 2026 MLB regular season this year. The Mets must take this into consideration when evaluating both Soto and Polanco in the coming days.

For now, the hope is that both Soto and Polanco won't miss significant time. But time will tell based off the severity of their injuries.

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