Juan Soto Injury: Targeting Friday return

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that he anticipates Soto (foot) returning to the lineup for Friday's series opener versus the Giants, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. "I think we dodged a bullet here," Mendoza said, in reference to the bruised left foot Soto suffered during Tuesday's 7-1 loss to the Padres.

Soto was forced out of Tuesday's game after fouling a ball off of his foot in the fourth inning, but X-rays came back negative, and the outfielder's soreness already seems to be subsiding a bit. Though Soto is out of the lineup for Wednesday's series finale in San Diego, he was scheduled to take some swings in the batting cage prior to the game and could be available off the bench, per Laura Albanese of Newsday. Even if the Mets choose to stay away from Soto on Wednesday, he's expected to make enough improvement after Thursday's off day to rejoin the lineup Friday.