Soto Overcomes Foul Ball to Leg, Leads Mets Past Astros
Juan Soto, activated from the injured list, delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the fifth inning after fouling a ball off his right leg, helping the Mets beat the Astros 6-2. Soto had missed 31 games with a left calf strain. Jared Young added a two-run triple and finished with three RBIs, while Nolan McLean allowed one unearned run over seven innings.
Soto’s return came after a 31-game absence due to a left calf strain, his second injured-list stint of the season. His decisive hit followed a foul ball off his right leg that required attention from manager Andy Green and a trainer, yet he remained in the game. The Mets’ fifth-inning rally also featured Jared Young’s two-run triple, part of a three-hit, three-RBI night. Starter Nolan McLean improved to 10-8, allowing just two hits and an unearned run over seven innings, with Jeremy Peña scoring on a sacrifice fly after a leadoff double and an outfield error.
This win may provide a psychological boost for a last-place Mets club, though its broader impact is limited. Soto’s resilience could reassure fans and teammates about his durability, while McLean’s continued strong stretch might raise his trade value or solidify his rotation spot. For the Astros, the loss underscores their reliance on Yordan Alvarez’s power, but single-game outcomes rarely shift season trajectories. The story’s main ripple effect is likely confined to fantasy baseball managers and local fan sentiment, not wider societal change.