SAN FRANCISCO — The Mets appear to have avoided a worst-case scenario with Juan Soto’s right calf, but his short-term availability remains in question.
Soto said Saturday that an MRI revealed a “minor” strain in his calf and he is evaluating the injury — which he sustained while running the bases during the team’s victory Friday — on a day-by-day basis. He remained on the active roster Saturday, giving him and team officials time to determine if an injured list stint will be necessary.
Soto’s plan was to undergo a strength test on the calf with the team’s training staff before Saturday’s game against the Giants.
“I don’t think we’re going to run or anything like that, but we’re going to see how much strength I have and how much I can push off it coming out, compared to [Friday],” Soto said.
Soto, according to manager Carlos Mendoza, will be evaluated Tuesday before the Mets begin a new homestand. The Mets play their series finale against the Giants on Sunday and have a day off.
“We’ll give it 48-72 hours, see how it continues to progress,” Mendoza said. “I was surprised when I saw him today, the way he was moving around, but [calf injuries] are tricky, so we’ll wait and continue to call it ‘day by day’ until we have to make a decision.”
Mendoza noted the team could backdate an injured list stint for Soto to the day after he last appeared in a game.
Juan Soto (22) reacts on a call strike against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images
“We’re going to have to be really careful with him,” Mendoza said. “The good news is how he’s feeling and the feedback that we’re getting from him.”
Soto opened the season with at least one hit in each of the team’s first eight games and owns a .928 OPS with one homer.
Durability has hardly been an issue throughout his career — he has played at least 150 games in his seven full seasons, excluding pandemic-shortened 2020. Last year, he played 160 games for the Mets after signing a record $765 million contract with the club.
Mendoza said discussions have not started about options to replace Soto on the roster if he’s placed on the IL.
Tyrone Taylor is a defensive specialist with limited offensive upside. Mendoza could also move Carson Benge to left field and begin playing Brett Baty regularly in right, but that would require using Mark Vientos every day as either the first baseman or DH.
The equation is muddled by Jorge Polanco’s left Achilles tendinitis, which placed him on the bench in two of the past four games before he returned as the DH on Saturday. The Mets recently signed Tommy Pham to a minor league deal, but the veteran outfielder is still ramping up in Port St. Lucie.
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Nick Morabito is considered an intriguing young prospect, but would the Mets want two rookies — Benge being the other — in the same outfield? The same question holds true regarding Ryan Clifford, who would bring a potentially powerful left-handed bat to the lineup.
The Mets are carrying Jared Young on the 26-man roster, but his value remains as a bench player — not an everyday option. Young started in left field Saturday. MJ Melendez, who is playing for Triple-A Syracuse, is another outfielder with major league experience.
“I think Juan is one of the key pieces to this lineup, but at the same time this is the type of team that if you look around has a lot of pieces that can go out there and step up,” Francisco Alvarez said Friday. “I think it’s unfortunate that he hurt his calf and it [would be] tough to play without him but if guys step up, I think we can be OK.”