The 2026 New York Mets are an experiment in how much misery the baseball gods can stuff into two months of a season. It wasn’t enough to lose Juan Soto to injury once. It was so painful it seems that they’re set to do it a second time.

Soto exited Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Tigers during the seventh inning. The Mets did not immediately update the reason for his exit, but speculation centered around his ankle/foot.

Juan Soto injury: Mets DH exits after fouling ball off ankle

The DH fouled a ball off his ankle in the third inning. He was visibly pained and had to be tended to by trainers. However, he was able to complete his at-bat and stayed in the game for another in the sixth inning. When his time came in the seventh inning, MJ Melendez pinch-hit for him.

Soto was caught on camera letting out his frustrations in the dugout after that third-inning strikeout. He was 0-for-3 on the night.

The Mets haven’t revealed a reason for Soto’s exit. It was a spot NY could have really used Soto’s bat with two outs and men on the corners. Bo Bichette had just tied the game at 2-2. Carson Benge was caught stealing home to end the inning.

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.

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