Juan Soto (back) remains sidelined against Cubs

Unsurprisingly, Soto was voted into the starting group even with the Mets having a disappointing 2026 campaign. He’ll be joined in the outfield by Andy Pages and Brandon Marsh. The infield will include 3B Max Muncy, SS CJ Abrams, 2B Ozzie Albies and 1B Freddie Freeman, with Drake Baldwin elected the starting catcher and Shohei Ohtani the designated hitter.

Soto drove the Mets offense in this one. His two-run homer – that looked like a cue-shot off the bat – stood as their only run until the ninth inning when Soto singled just before Bo Bichette drove in their third and final run in a late rally that fell short. He also had a demonstrative challenge of a called third strike that was overturned and turned into a walk. He’s had a fantastic season with 18 home runs and a .971 OPS through 69 games despite the Mets’ struggles.

Robert has been on the shelf with a herniated disc in his back since late April. The 28-year-old center fielder’s impending return will complicate New York’s outfield mix, especially since rookie A.J. Ewing has been tearing the cover off the ball recently. The logical move would be to allow Juan Soto to get some extra time at DH with Ewing and fellow rookie Carson Benge in the outfield corners once he’s back. He’ll likely require at least a week or two of minor league at-bats to get back up to speed following the lengthy layoff. The durability concerns aren’t going away, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Robert were an impactful fantasy contributor during the second half based on his raw talent and track record.

Soto drew a walk in the third inning, then singled and scored a run in the sixth. With a runner on in the seventh, he tripled to center field to extend the Mets’ lead before scoring his second run on a sacrifice fly. The 27-year-old star outfielder is hitting .299/.399/.567 with 17 homers, 38 runs scored, 39 RBI, and six steals across 272 plate appearances.

Wagaman came off the bench to launch a two-run homer off Hoby Milner and it got the Mets to within a run at 3-2. They would tie it, but they fell in extras for yet another loss in what has been a horrendous first half for the Metropolitans. Wagaman has homered twice in 2026 in his 22 at-bats with the club while slashing .227/.320/.500 in that limited playing time.

Fortunately for the Mets, their superstar slugger is feeling much improved after a full day of rest. He’s serving as the team’s designated hitter and will bat third against Cubs’ left-hander Matthew Boyd on Thursday night in New York.

Mauricio fractured his left thumb on May 3rd and was expected to miss six to eight weeks, so he’s right on track in his recovery. With how much the Mets’ bats have slumped, it wouldn’t be out of the question for him to come back and push Brett Baty, Eric Wagaman, or Jared Young back to the minors. Mark Vientos has no minor league options left, which is why he will likely remain.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters Soto’s back locked up on him and he left Tuesday’s contest to undergo treatment. It doesn’t sounds like a significant concern for fantasy managers, but back issues can be complex and the Mets can’t really afford to take any chances. It’s possible he’s ready to return at some point during Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Cubs at Citi Field.

Soto looked uncomfortable during each of his at-bats in the early stages of the contest before being replaced by Jared Young in left field to open the fifth inning. He finished 0-for-2 at the plate. The 27-year-old generational talent’s exit appears to be precautionary in nature, but back issues can be complicated matters. He’ll undergo further evaluation and possibly imaging to determine the severity of the issue. There should be an update on his status leading into Wednesday’s doubleheader at Citi Field.

It’s the last thing the Mets need right now. Soto was replaced by Jared Young in left field to open the fifth inning after going 0-for-2 at the plate. It’s a bit unclear whether he suffered an injury or was dealing with a physical issue prior to leaving the contest. There should be some clarity on his status shortly.