NEW YORK -- Mets star Juan Soto is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Saturday after he was removed from Friday's 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth inning because of left calf soreness.
Mets interim manager Andy Green acknowledged that there's a chance the setback could force Soto to be placed on the injured list for the second time this season.
"I think any time you get an image, you're concerned," Green said. "You're concerned enough to go do it, so we'll wait until tomorrow and figure out what we're doing." Soto, 27, missed more than two weeks in April because of a left calf strain and experienced a flare-up last week. The Mets have had Soto start at designated hitter in five of their past seven games, including Friday, to reduce stress on the calf, but the discomfort continued to plague him Friday.
Soto walked twice in his two plate appearances Friday. Green said Soto "had a recurrence of symptoms" in the calf when he was pushing off running to second base on Bo Bichette's double play to end the third inning. Jorge Polanco then took Soto's place in the lineup, batting second, for his third plate appearance.
The Mets' only All-Star this season, Soto is batting .283 with 21 home runs and a .947 OPS in 84 games. His OPS ranks third in the majors.
He has been one of the few bright spots in an abysmal season for the Mets, who are set to trade several veterans before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.