Juan Soto Returns Healthy as Mets Avoid Major Injury Scare

Juan Soto exited Tuesday’s game with tightness in his back, but he was able to avoid the disabled list and was back in the lineup for Wednesday’s series finale against the Cubs. That was one thing that at least broke the Mets’ way, from a favorable perspective.

Mendoza said he was excited that Soto, who was also out earlier in the season with a calf injury, would be playing in the game. So the Mets chose to wait until they had some clarity before announcing their starting lineup. He batted third, was the designated hitter and MJ Melendez was the starting left fielder. Mendoza, who had no idea when Soto might be fit to play in the outfield, was happy that Soto was even interested in playing, rather than just being available as a pinch hitter after missing both games Wednesday.

“That’s a good sign,” Mendoza remarked before Soto went 1-for-3 with two walks in their 4-3 loss in 10 innings. Soto then walked two hitters.

A trip to the International League would have been just another for the Mets in a season full of nightmares. Soto, who entered Thursday’s game with a .299 batting average, .965 on-base percentage and 17 home runs, has been one of the few players in their lineup to deliver effective results.

On the injured list are Luis Robert Jr. (lumbar spine disc herniation), Jorge Polanco (left Achilles bursitis, right wrist contusion) and Marcus Semien (left hip flexor strain). Francisco Lindor had just returned from his calf strain on Wednesday, while Luis Robert Jr., Jorge Polanco and Marcus Semien had just recovered from their respective injuries.

And it was right that the assumption that Soto was simply going to be a day-to-day thing was right.

He avoided another trip to the injury list after missing 15 games in April. For once the Mets were lucky to not have an injury. “He didn’t look abnormal,” Mendoza said. There was no hesitation at any time. “The thing is, he was swinging as hard as he could. The regular at bats.”

Mendoza opened his pregame press conference with a mention of his own Venezuela, which was hit by two severe earthquakes on Wednesday, measuring 7.2 and 7.5. The Associated Press said at least 188 people were killed, more than 200 people trapped and more than 1,500 people injured.

Mendoza said his phone “went crazy” before the second game of the Mets’ doubleheader on Wednesday. This meant that he was able to contact his parents, even if at first he had not realized what was happening. Mendoza said the country was still healing from the consequences of the calamity, though his family and friends were okay, as were the families of Mets catchers Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens.

“I want to send my thoughts and prayers to all the people back home in Venezuela after what we all saw [Wednesday],” Mendoza added, who said he is doing “all right” through the earthquake. It is painfully evident that a great number of people, members of the baseball community, have been touched by . I shall be thinking and praying for all there.

Left-hander Zach Thornton, who made his Major League Baseball debut a month ago, will pitch Friday against the Phillies. Christian Scott (right hip impingement) will be activated off the disabled list for Saturday’s start. The decision was taken after the trade that sent David Peterson to the Cubs.

In his one and only Major League Baseball start, Thornton, who is listed as the No. 12 prospect for the Mets by MLB Pipeline, gave up four runs on four hits while striking out three and walking two. He threw four and a half innings against the Nationals. Thornton, a fifth-round pick in 2023, is 1-5 with a 4.25 ERA for Triple-A Syracuse this season. He has played in 12 games and started 11 of them.

Lindor, who returned from injury Wednesday, was not in the lineup Thursday. Mendoza said Wednesday he will need to take a few days off before he can start being an everyday player again. Soto was a second-round pick in the vote for the All-Star team. Reliever Dedniel Núñez, who had Tommy John surgery last season, was assigned to Single-A St. Lucie to begin a rehab assignment.