Juan Soto injury update: Mets star exits game with back issue

Juan Soto left Tuesday night's Mets game against the Cubs in the fifth inning with what the team said is left-side back tightness. He had gone hitless in two at-bats, wincing during both. He was seen in the dugout with a heat wrap around his lower back before he came out and headed into the clubhouse.

>Jared Young took over in left field to start the fifth inning. It was the second time this season Soto has left a game early. A strained right calf put him on the injured list in April and cost him 15 games.

>Soto went into Tuesday hitting .299 with a .395 on-base percentage, 17 home runs and a .965 OPS through 61 games. Until this season, he had been durable, with no stints on the injured list since 2021.

>A healthy Soto is something the last-place Mets can ill afford to lose. They were already down 7-2 when Soto left, with Kodai Senga having given up seven runs in 3 2/3 innings.

>The Mets can't seem to catch a break. After a 9-6 loss Tuesday, the Mets stand at 34-44 and last in the National League East, 14 games behind the Atlanta Braves. The Mets have been without Francisco Lindor since late April and had hoped to have their two stars back in the lineup together again soon.

>This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Juan Soto injury news as Mets star exits with back injury