Jun 16, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Juan Soto (22) walks to the dugout after striking out against the Cincinnati Reds in the fifth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Any hope that a 48-hour break late last week would give Juan Soto the time needed to get over a sore calf he had been dealing with went up in smoke when he left Friday’s series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field early.
On Saturday, the Mets placed their superstar outfielder on the 10-day IL with a Grade 2 strain in that left calf, which is more severe than the right-calf strain that had him shelved for 15 games earlier this season. A typical timetable for a return is between four and six weeks, which would put him in September, most likely.
There is a chance he could return ahead of schedule, which is what catcher Francisco Alvarez did this season, and starting pitcher Clay Holmes is on the cusp of doing so after breaking his leg in May. But is it worth it?
The Mets are trudging through one of their most disappointing seasons in recent memory, which is saying a lot given how much they have put a tortured fan base through. Yet David Stearns’ disastrous roster construction has somehow turned the majority of Mets supporters into apathetic bystanders, with indifference proving to be an all-important defense mechanism.
With one week to go until Major League Baseball’s Aug. 3 trade deadline, the Mets are the second-worst team in the National League, sitting in dead last in their division and 18.5 games back of the first-place Braves. Soto has been the only offensive bright spot in Queens, leading the league with a .408 on-base percentage and a .947 OPS to go with 21 home runs and 52 RBI.
Meanwhile, his supporting cast has been mostly nonexistent. Francisco Lindor, who missed two months of his own with a calf strain, is batting .224 this season. Bo Bichette, who batted .311 with the Toronto Blue Jays last year, is batting .255. Jorge Polanco and Luis Robert Jr. have combined to play 53 games and are batting .183.
Considering how tricky calf injuries are, there is no need to rush Soto back to this mess, especially with a fire sale looming and a team primed to simply exist through the final two months of the season.
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