The New York Mets have been playing without Juan Soto for two weeks, but all signs point to him returning to the lineup on Wednesday.
The New York Mets bring an 11-game losing streak into Tuesday's game, and frustration is building in Queens.
Superstar Juan Soto has been out since April 3 due to a calf strain, and the Mets have not been able to have any luck over the past couple of weeks.
Soto had been making progress and even began a new running program, signaling that a return to the lineup was imminent.
On Tuesday afternoon, Jon Heyman of The New York Post had a major update, reporting that Soto is expected to return to the lineup on Wednesday.
"Breaking: Current plan has Juan Soto returning to Mets tomorrow. He’s needed," Heyman wrote on X.
Soto has been on the Injured List for just over two weeks, and it's a bit of a surprise that he won't do any rehab assignments before returning to the major league club.
But, Heyman's report says that it is the "current plan", so things could change depending on how Soto feels.
On Sunday, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza did not have an exact timeline, but he did say the hope was that Soto could return for the next homestand, which begins on Tuesday against the Minnesota Twins.
“Not sure which day, but as of right now, the plan is for him to start playing for us at some point in the next homestand.”
Soto is hitting .355 with one home run and five RBIs in just eight games before being injured, and missing time is not ordinary.
Soto played in 162 games in 2023 with the San Diego Padres, then 157 in 2024 with the New York Yankees and 160 last season with the Mets.
The Mets saw Jared Young go on the IL, and they then signed veteran outfielder Tommy Pham, who has played a bit in left field in Soto's absence.
On Sunday, Carson Benge was in left field as Luis Robert Jr. and Brett Baty were in the other outfield spots, but the Mets desperately need Soto's bat back in the lineup/
After a four-game winning streak at the start of April, the Mets have lost 11 straight, with three of those coming in shutout defeats.
As of now, the expectation is that Soto will be in the lineup on Wednesday against the Twins, and the Mets are beginning a nine-game homestand on Tuesday night at Citi Field, so it might be the jolt this team needs amid a worrisome streak.