SAN DIEGO — Juan Soto is out of action in San Diego.
The Mets‘ star right fielder left Tuesday night’s game against the Padres with a right foot contusion in the middle of the fourth inning. With the Mets down 1-0 at Petco Park and Soto leading off against right-hander Ryan Bergert, he got an 0-2 slider inside and fouled it off to keep the at-bat alive, but it hit the inside of his right foot and he hopped out of the batter’s box in obvious discomfort.
Soto limped down the first base line trying to shake out his foot while the trainers came out from the visitor’s dugout. After consulting with them, he was allowed to stay in the game and finish his at-bat. He eventually grounded out to second base.
The Mets replaced him in the outfield in the bottom of the inning, moving Jeff McNeil from center field to right, and inserting Tyrone Taylor into center field for the half-inning only. Starling Marte pinch-hit for Taylor in Soto’s spot in the fifth and played right field for the fourth time this season. It was only the sixth time the veteran outfielder got into the outfield this year.
Soto was 0-for-2 on the night, and 0-for-6 with a run scored in the series.
The 26-year-old has proven to be especially durable throughout his eight-year big league career. He hasn’t been on the injured list since 2021 when he strained his right shoulder. A member of the Washington Nationals at the time, he went on to win the NL batting title that season. Two years ago, he played all 162 games for the Padres.
Last year, Soto missed a handful of games with forearm inflammation in his left arm, and a bruised right hand. So far this season, his first with the Mets, he’s missed only one game, which was a scheduled day off. A player who takes immense pride in showing up and playing every day, Soto still tried to fight his way into the lineup on his day off earlier this season, but the Mets insisted he sit out.
The NL Player of the Month in June, Soto is hitting .249 with an .875 OPS and 25 home runs. He leads the NL in walks with 84, and has stolen a career-high 15 bases this year in 16 tries.
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