Mets place star outfielder Juan Soto on IL with calf strain

The New York Mets placedJuan Soto on the 10-day injured list Monday after the left fielder suffered a minor right calf strain running the bases Friday against the San Francisco Giants.

He is expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks.

This is the second non-COVID IL stint of Soto's career and the first since May 2021, when he missed two weeks with a strained left shoulder while playing for the Washington Nationals.

Soto, 27, strained the calf advancing from first base to third in the first inning of the Mets' win. He was removed from the game after being forced out at home. Soto underwent an MRI on Saturday and told reporters in San Francisco that the discomfort felt similar to the left calf injury he suffered in July 2022. At that time, he left a game after five innings but returned to play the next day.



Soto has played in at least 157 games over the past three seasons and in at least 150 games during his six full, non-COVID major league seasons.

The four-time All-Star was off to a hot start in his second season with the Mets, going 11-for-34 with a .928 OPS in eight games. Last season, he clubbed 43 home runs with 38 steals and a .921 OPS.

While Soto's offensive production is irreplaceable, the Mets have a few internal options defensively. Tyrone Taylor replaced Soto when he exited Friday's game before Jared Young started in left field Saturday and Sunday. Rookie Carson Benge, the Mets' right fielder to start the season, got the start in left field against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field on Tuesday with Brett Baty in right field.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said the team preferred to move Benge and have Baty in right field because that's where Baty, an inexperienced outfielder, has worked since the beginning of spring training. Another internal option is Tommy Pham, who recently signed a minor-league contract with the Mets. The 38-year-old outfielder has an April 25 opt-out clause in his deal and is expected to begin playing in minor-league games this week.

The team recalledinfielder Ronny Mauricio from Triple-A Syracuse in a corresponding move Monday.