Despite suffering a Grade 2 left calf strain, Juan Soto remains optimistic that he will return before the end of the 2026 MLB season.
Event Context
“We’re just taking it week by week, day by day,” Soto said before Monday’s series opener against the Atlanta Braves. “We’re trying to see how I feel. Definitely, I’m young enough to recover quick, so we don’t know how I’m gonna feel tomorrow, the next day,” he added.
After receiving two days of rest on Wednesday and Thursday, he attempted to return but was unable to finish Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. An MRI later confirmed the Grade 2 strain, and the Mets placed him on the 10-day injured list on Saturday.
Player Focus
Speaking to reporters on Monday, the New York Mets star made it clear he does not believe the injury will cut his campaign short.
Soto revealed he had been battling discomfort in his left calf for some time—the opposite leg from the calf injury that sidelined him for 15 games earlier this season.
When asked whether he regretted continuing to play through the injury—especially with the Mets sitting 18 games below .500 and reportedly headed toward a trade-deadline selloff—Soto firmly rejected the suggestion.
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Soto’s injury is another major setback in what has been a disappointing season for New York. Entering the year with postseason aspirations, the Mets instead find themselves owning one of the National League’s worst records.
Soto is currently in the second season of his 15-year, $765 million contract, and has remained the club’s offensive centerpiece. Through 84 games, Soto is batting .283 with a .408 on-base percentage, .539 slugging percentage, a .947 OPS, 21 home runs, and 52 RBIs.
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Team Analysis
The Mets, however, are taking a more cautious approach. The club is still consulting additional medical experts and has yet to establish a timeline for Soto’s return, with the possibility that he could remain sidelined into September.
“I’m trying to go out there and help my team to win ballgames, so whatever it takes,” he said. The 27-year-old added, “Sometimes it’s tough. We were hoping that it goes the other way and I get better and healthier and I could keep going.”
He has comfortably led the team in most major offensive categories, and with the Mets carrying a .686 team OPS—ranking 28th in MLB—his absence leaves an already struggling lineup with an even bigger void.
Match Outlook
“We were expecting something because I was definitely going through it a lot. I was in a lot of pain, but I just kept pushing. And definitely when we got the MRI, we knew I was gonna get some results,” Soto said.
