Juan Soto is back in the Mets’ lineup, and the timing lines up with a tricky spot for Houston.
New York activated Soto from the 10-day injured list ahead of Saturday’s game against the Astros. He’ll hit second and serve as the designated hitter after missing more than a month with a left calf strain, which was retroactive to July 24. The Mets didn’t send him out for a minor league rehab assignment.
To make room, the club optioned infielder Eric Wagaman to Triple-A Syracuse.
Before the injury, Soto was putting together a big season at the plate. In 84 games, the 27-year-old was hitting .283/.408/.539 with 21 home runs, 52 RBI, 46 runs scored and 7 stolen bases.
His return also comes with a favorable track record against Saturday’s opponent. Soto has a career .386 average against the Astros, with 22 hits, three home runs and 12 RBI in 16 games.
The Mets enter at 60-75 and are 12 games out of the final wild-card spot, so they’re not in the postseason chase. But they can still make life difficult for Houston, which sits at 68-67 and is locked into a tight AL West race.
New York dropped the series opener 3-1 on Friday, but still has a shot to take the set and put a dent in the Astros’ division hopes. Texas is only two games back in the AL West, so every loss matters for Houston right now.
On the mound, Bennett Sousa is set to start for the Astros. He’s 1-3 with a 6.27 ERA. Nolan McLean will go for the Mets, carrying a 9-8 record and a 3.21 ERA.
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