Juan Soto gets return date, but he can't save struggling Mets

New York Mets left fielder Juan Soto. Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Juan Soto gets return date, but he's unlikely to save struggling Mets

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Apr 21, 2026 5:54 PM ET

The floundering New York Mets have finally received some good news.

The Mets activated right fielder Juan Soto on Tuesday after he had spent 15 days on the injured list because of a right calf issue. He suffered the injury on April 3 during a 10-3 win over the San Francisco Giants and was then placed on the injured list on April 6.

Soto will return to the lineup when the Mets host the Minnesota Twins in the second game of a three-game homestand on Wednesday. When he returns, the Mets hope he can salvage their season, which may already be on the rocks.

Can Juan Soto save the Mets, who may already be at risk of postseason elimination?

Entering Tuesday, the Mets were 7-15 and last in the National League East. The team had also lost 11 consecutive games.

It's early in the season, but the horrendous start doesn't bode well for the Mets' playoff chances. Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, only four teams in MLB history have had a 10-game losing streak during the season and made the playoffs. The last was the Cleveland Guardians in 2025. Of those four teams, only one had a stretch in April: the 1951 New York Giants (now in San Francisco).

Four teams in MLB history have lost 10 or more games in a row and made the playoffs. The last was the Guardians in 2025. Only one of those teams had a skid in April and still made the postseason: the 1951 Giants, who lost 11 consecutive..

The New York Mets have lost 10 straight.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 18, 2026

With an offense this lousy, New York may not pull off a similar turnaround. Entering Tuesday, the Mets ranked last in the majors in runs scored per game (3.27) and OPS (.624).

Four-time All-Star Soto should help New York's batting improve, but how much? Through eight games this season, he has slashed .355/.412/.516 with one home run and five RBI. Those are good numbers, but it's not an MVP-caliber stat line that will propel the Mets back into the playoff race.

"Even when he returns, we've still got to get it done. It would be unfair to throw everything on him," Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor said of Soto returning (h/t Field Level Media).

The rest of the Mets lineup must improve. Soto returning certainly helps, but he can't single-handedly make a team that's playing this poorly a World Series contender again.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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