The New York Mets are monitoring the status of outfielder Juan Soto, who is dealing with a back injury that could sideline him beyond Wednesday’s schedule. Soto left Tuesday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs after the fourth inning due to a tight back. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Soto was undergoing evaluation ahead of Wednesday’s doubleheader but noted that the star outfielder had not yet undergone imaging tests. Mendoza expressed cautious optimism about Soto’s availability later in the day but acknowledged the situation was uncertain.
“We’ve got to wait,” Mendoza said Wednesday morning. “Obviously not ideal when a player like him comes out of a game. Those guys are tough and they know how important they are and they take pride on being in the lineup every day and posting. I just didn’t like how he looked yesterday.” Soto is in the second season of a 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets.
Soto’s injury raises questions about the team’s plans for shortstop Francisco Lindor, who was activated before the second game of the Wednesday doubleheader. Lindor, 32, had been sidelined since April 22 with a strained left calf sustained while running the bases against the Minnesota Twins. That date coincided with Soto’s return from an 18-day absence caused by a strained right calf. Lindor participated in his third rehab game Tuesday at Triple-A Syracuse, going 2 for 5 and scoring twice.
Following Lindor’s game in Syracuse, the Mets chose to have him rest Wednesday morning due to his late arrival back in New York and will likely use him more often as the designated hitter to manage his workload. “Everything checked out well after the game last night but he got in late, so we told him to kind of recover this morning,” Mendoza said. “We anticipate him being in the lineup.” Lindor’s return marks the longest injury hiatus of his 12-year career; he had missed only 15 games total in the previous four seasons.
The Mets have struggled this season, sitting in last place and continuing to feel the effects of a 12-game losing streak during Soto’s absence. To date, Soto and Lindor have appeared in just nine games together.
In another roster adjustment, Mendoza announced that starting pitcher Kodai Senga has been moved to the bullpen following a rough outing Tuesday, in which he surrendered seven runs over 3 2/3 innings, raising his ERA to 10.08. Senga has not recorded a win since June 12, 2025, and has made only one relief appearance since joining the Mets. The decision reflects the team’s efforts to manage Senga’s inconsistent performance as he recovers from a hamstring injury.