Soto's left calf strain lands him on the injured list for the second time this season, sidelining him for an extended period.

The Mets' disastrous season worsened on Sunday as MRI results showed Juan Soto has a Grade 2 left calf strain, keeping him out for an extended period. The club placed him on the 10-day IL prior to their game against the Dodgers and called up infielder Eric Wagaman from Triple-A.

While the Mets await further medical evaluations to determine a specific return timeline for Soto, the team expects this absence to exceed the two and a half weeks he missed in April due to a right calf strain.

“This is not the outcome we were hoping for,” interim manager Andy Green said. “He’s a player we really want to keep on the field, and he desperately wants to compete. For the time being, we’ll have to fight without him.”

According to a team spokesperson, Soto did not speak with the media today.

According to information released by the Mets, Soto first felt discomfort in his calf during the July 16 game in Philadelphia. He returned to the lineup two days later but missed the series finale in Milwaukee on Thursday. On Sunday, he felt additional pain while running from first base early in the game and eventually exited in the middle of the sixth inning of a 4-2 loss to the Dodgers.

When asked whether the team regretted letting Soto play through the injury, Green responded that even a different decision might not have changed the outcome. “Over the past week, we gave him at-bats and gave him rest when we thought appropriate, but yesterday he just couldn’t make it through. Looking back, based on today’s situation, could we have handled it more quickly? Yes. But I’m not sure that would have ultimately changed where we are now. I respect guys who try to stay on the field and fight through injuries.”

Before this season, Soto had not been on the injured list since 2021. From 2022 to 2025, he played in 632 of 648 possible games. However, his health has been far worse this year. In addition to the right calf strain in April, he has been dealing with elbow and hand discomfort, and now another calf strain.

On a broader scale, this is already the third significant calf injury the Mets have encountered this season. Francisco Lindor previously missed nine weeks due to one.

“In a way, it does feel unlucky,” Green said. “But each player’s injury mechanism is different. In this situation, you just have to tailor the best rehab plan for each individual. That’s what we’re doing for Soto right now. I know he’s very disappointed not to be able to play tonight and for the next few weeks.”

As the Mets' only All-Star, Soto was batting .283/.408/.539 with 21 home runs in 84 games before going on the IL. During his absence, the Mets' outfield will mostly feature A.J. Ewing in left, Luis Robert Jr. in center, and Carson Benge in right, provided Robert is not traded before the August 3 deadline. The designated hitter duties will primarily fall to Jorge Polanco.

Green acknowledged that the team will factor in Soto's “long-term importance to us” when managing his rehab timeline, given that this is only the second year of his 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets. Still, Green dismissed the idea that Soto might be out for the season. His injury is not as severe as Lindor's was, meaning he should return at some point in August or September.

During this period, finding a player to replace the team's regular No. 2 hitter and offensive core is simply impossible for the Mets. But they have no choice but to grit their teeth and carry on.

“Soto aspires to be and expects to become that generational, Hall-of-Fame-caliber player,” Green said. “With his personality, he will do everything he can to stay on the field consistently in the future. We'll work with him to find answers, looking at everything from pre-game preparation to post-game recovery and any other areas worth considering.”