The New York Mets are desperate for a spark, and Juan Soto’s potential return from injury presents a high-stakes gamble. With the Mets in a massive slump, there is a lot of pressure to bring him back early.

However, baseball insider Ken Rosenthal is warning the front office not to cave in. “It sounds like next week for him, and that’s if everything goes smoothly, of course. I don’t know if they’re going to rush him. And I don’t know if they’re not going to rush him.”

The New York Mets plan an additional MRI to confirm the healing before activating him from the injured list. Their target remains the homestand starting April 21, spanning nine games against three teams, including Minnesota, Colorado, and Washington. He must complete higher intensity running, including cuts, shuffles, and full speed stops, before getting the full clearance.

A return next week aligns with the initial two- to three-week recovery that was estimated. And this is good news for the Mets.

The Mets’ offense has struggled to score fewer than 2 runs in five of the last six games. They also scored just three runs across three games during the Dodgers series. In the last 12 games, the Mets have lost 9 games, showing a clear dip without Soto.

Before injury, Juan Soto hit .355 with .412 on-base and .516 slugging in eight games. He added one homer and two doubles, providing consistent production in a very small sample.

Anthony DiComo reported playoff odds fell from 88.6% in spring training to 57.0% after the recent slump. So all these factors could influence the franchise into rushing Soto back into the rotation.

But Rosenthal stressed that pushing Soto too hard right now could ruin the whole year. A calf injury is tricky, and rushing him risks a major setback.

“They’re going to let him proceed on his own due time,” added Rosenthal. “Listen, if it takes Juan Soto three or four more days, this is a six-month season. The Mets are not going to rush him back and say, ‘Oh my gosh, we need you right now.’ We saw last year they were the best team in baseball in early June, and then things collapsed. Why can’t they do it the other way this time? Like they did in 2024. So, there’s no need to rush him back, even as bad as they look offensively. They need to get this right, and they need to make sure he’s ok before he gets back on the field.”

Right now, playing it safe with Soto is what makes sense. The Mets desperately need him and his runs right now, however, they need him to be healthy for the rest of the season even more. They would not want to risk him injuring his calf again.

While an update on Soto’s return is awaited, manager Carlos Mendoza has made changes to the lineup. He moved Carson Benge to the leadoff spot, and Bo Bichette to second, with Francisco Lindor coming behind them.

When Soto returns, he could bat between Bichette and Lindor to maintain left-right balance. Another option is batting cleanup, though that reduces plate appearances for an elite on-base hitter.

But the Mets are not just dealing with an injury to Soto. There is another player on the list.

The Mets also have to deal with Jorge Polanco

The Mets were already dealing with the slump and Juan Soto missing from the lineup. Now, Jorge Polanco has a new injury concern in addition to his existing one.

The New York Mets entered Friday with a 7-12 record, sitting last in the NL East standings. Jorge Polanco has already been dealing with left Achilles bursitis since Opening Day. Now, he’s dealing with a sore right wrist that initially popped up after Tuesday’s game in Los Angeles.

Manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed MRI tests were pending while wrist pain kept him out on Friday against the Cubs. His Achilles showed improvement, but the wrist issue quickly became the main concern. Things got worse as Polanco is going to miss more time, adding uncertainty to an already struggling offense.

During their eight-game losing streak, the Mets scored just 12 runs total offensively. Half of those runs came in a single game against Oakland, showing inconsistent offensive production.

Sure, losing Polanco means losing a switch-hitter, which hurts their balance against different pitchers. But it didn’t matter much before this injury as well.

Polanco struggled heavily, posting a .179 average and .532 OPS through 14 games. He also recorded a -0.3 bWAR, showing limited impact despite everyday opportunities.

Other hitters struggled too, including Francisco Lindor with a .576 OPS entering Friday’s game. Bo Bichette had a .575 OPS, while Marcus Semien posted a .526 OPS. This highlights the widespread offensive issues across the Mets’ lineup.

With Polanco unavailable, Mendoza moved Carson Benge to leadoff for the first time. Benge had never batted higher than sixth before, showing urgency in lineup changes.

The Mets now wait on MRI results before deciding whether Polanco needs an injured list placement. The big question that remains is whether returning players can stop losses and restore offensive production, or if the team’s poor form will continue.