Mets’ Juan Soto injury scare adds another gut punch to plagued season, could trigger early firesale originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The New York Mets are off to a slow start to the 2026 season and currently sit at 17-25. Things have improved as of late, but injuries continue to create problems for the club.

The latest injury concern involves Juan Soto. The Mets slugger fouled a ball off his ankle and was removed from the game.

“Soto exited Wednesday night’s game against the Detroit Tigers in Queens in the seventh inning when MJ Melendez pinch hit for him. In the third inning, Soto had fouled a ball off his own leg that appeared to cause him considerable pain, but he remained in the game,” USA Today’s Jace Evans wrote.

The severity of Soto’s injury is still to be determined. He is currently considered day-to-day, but that designation could still keep him sidelined for some time. It is yet another gut punch for the Mets.

“Fans can hope Soto’s issue isn’t serious, but this is the Mets in 2026 so optimism isn’t exactly high. New York had a 12-game losing streak earlier this season. It started a few days after Soto left the lineup with an injury and ended the day he returned to the lineup. Things haven’t been spectacular since then, but they’ve been better. They even won two of three series on their latest road trip. Another potential Soto injury feels like a punch in the gut for a fanbase that only just found their breath after the last gut punch,” FanSided’s Alicia de Artola wrote.

If Soto’s injury keeps him out for another week or more, the Mets could once again struggle in his absence. Another rough stretch may end up being the final straw before New York considers a fire sale involving some of its top players.

“This is why the Mets soon may be the center of attention once they realize that this season is a lost cause, letting their rivals know they are open for business. They have three of the top trade chips in the game in starters Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes and infielder Bo Bichette,” USA Today’s Bob Nightengale wrote.

New York’s season has been nothing short of lackluster, and it is only halfway through May. If injuries continue to pile up at this rate, the Mets may have no choice but to begin making moves.

At this point, it may be better for New York to prepare for the future rather than continue trying to salvage the 2026 season. Soto’s latest injury is another reminder of how badly the Mets have been impacted by the injury bug, and a potential fire sale could begin sooner rather than later.

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• Mets urged to part ways with $126M All-Star ‘black hole’ blamed for offensive struggles

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