Mets star Juan Soto (calf) goes on IL, could face lengthy absence

New York Mets All-Star outfielder Juan Soto was placed on the 10-day injured list with a Grade 2 left calf strain prior to Saturday's home game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

An MRI exam revealed the damage that will cause Soto to miss a significant amount of time. New York didn't immediately release a timetable.

"It's not what we were hoping for," Mets interim manager Andy Green told reporters. "He's a guy we love having on the field. He's a guy who loves being on the field competing. We'll be without him for a period of time now."

Soto missed 15 games with a right calf injury in April. The current injury is considered more serious.

Soto, a five-time All-Star, departed Friday's 4-2 loss to the Dodgers in the sixth inning due to the calf ailment. Green told reporters Soto aggravated it while running to second base in the second inning on Bo Bichette's double-play grounder.

Recently, Soto has seen occasional time as a designated hitter to help with the calf issue. He played left field against the Philadelphia Phillies on July 16 and left the game in the eighth inning. He also sat out Wednesday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers because of the injury before the team's Thursday off-day.

Still, the injury worsened, as evidenced by Friday's departure while serving as the DH and culminating in Saturday's news.

Green feels this is a situation in which nobody should have regrets.

"This last week, we gave him at-bats, we gave him rest in times when we felt it appropriate, and then yesterday he couldn't get over the hump," Green said. "Is it possible we could have looked back and thought we could have moved a little bit quicker on this, given where we're at today? Yes.

"I don't know that that ultimately changes the situation we're in right now. I respect somebody who's trying to get on the field and play through things."

Soto is batting .283 with 21 homers and 52 RBIs in 84 games, his second with the Mets as part of a 15-year, $765 million contract.

Green doesn't believe the injury is season-ending but thinks it's wise to review Soto's routine.

"Juan wants to be and expects to be a generational, Hall of Fame-type player," Green said. "So the way he's wired, he's going to look at whatever he can to keep himself on the field going forward, and we'll partner with him in trying to find what those answers are and if there are adjustments to make in anything from prep to recovery to anything that is possible to be considered."

New York recalled first baseman Eric Wagaman from Triple-A Syracuse in a corresponding move. The 28-year-old Wagaman batted .162 (6-for-37) with two homers and four RBIs in 21 games with the Mets earlier this season.

--Field Level Media