Juan Soto X-rays negative, day-to-day

Juan Soto left the New York Mets’ 3-2, 10-inning win over the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday, May 13, after fouling a ball off the top of his right ankle at Citi Field, according to the team’s injury update page. X-rays were negative, and MLB.com’s injury report listed Soto as day-to-day on Thursday. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Soto was back in the lineup for the series finale on May 14, according to reports carried by multiple outlets. Soto’s exit came four innings after the foul ball. MLB.com said he was removed in the seventh inning after initially staying in the game following the play in the third. The episode created another injury concern for a Mets club that has already been dealing with absences elsewhere on the roster. ### How did Soto get hurt against Detroit? (mlb.com) The injury happened in the third inning on Wednesday, May 13, when Soto fouled a pitch hard off the top of his right ankle, according to MLB.com’s injury report. He remained in the game for several innings before the Mets took him out in the seventh. The Mets still finished off a 3-2 win in 10 innings over the Tigers. (mlb.com) The official MLB game page for Thursday’s rematch identified it as the same series at Citi Field, where New York was set to face Detroit again on May 14. ### What did the tests show? X-rays on Soto’s ankle were negative, MLB.com said in its May 13 injury roundup. (mlb.com) The same report said Soto was considered day-to-day rather than headed immediately for the injured list. An Associated Press report distributed through other outlets also said Mendoza told reporters that Soto’s X-rays were negative after the game. (mlb.com) That account matched the team update that no fracture had been found. ### Was Soto back in the lineup on Thursday? Thursday’s MLB game page for Tigers-Mets listed Soto among the Mets starters, indicating he was back in the lineup for the May 14 game at Citi Field. (mlb.com) Reports published Thursday also said Mendoza described Soto as available and day-to-day. ESPN’s player page continued to list Soto as active on Thursday. (msn.com) That page showed him batting.282 with four home runs, 10 RBIs and an.868 OPS in 26 games this season. ### Why did the scare matter for the Mets? Soto is one of the Mets’ central hitters, and his health has already been a recurring issue this season. MLB.com reported last month that New York placed him on the 10-day injured list with a right calf strain, with Mendoza saying then there was “no reason for us to push it here.” (espn.com) (mlb.com) His return from that calf injury came only weeks before the ankle scare. MLB.com reported in late April that the Mets activated Soto from the injured list as they tried to halt a losing streak, underscoring how closely his availability has tracked with the club’s lineup decisions. ### What comes next for Soto and New York? (mlb.com) The Mets were scheduled to finish their series against the Tigers on Thursday, May 14, at Citi Field, with Soto in the lineup and the team listing him as day-to-day. MLB.com’s injury page also said the Mets were monitoring other players, including Francisco Lindor and Francisco Alvarez, as New York worked through multiple health issues at once. (mlb.com) Thursday’s game page listed Detroit at New York for a 1:10 p.m. EDT start. Soto’s status beyond that game was expected to depend on how his ankle responded after returning to play. (mlb.com)