Mets slugger Juan Soto leaves game after fouling ball off his left foot

SAN DIEGO (AP) — New York Mets slugger Juan Soto was removed from Tuesday night’s game at San Diego a half inning after fouling a ball off the top of his left foot in the fourth.

The team announced that Soto had a bruised foot. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said X-rays were negative.

“That’s good news there,” Mendoza said after a 7-1 loss to the Padres. “So he’s day-to-day. We’ll see where we’re at for tomorrow, to see if he’s going to be available for the lineup.”

Soto appeared to be in considerable pain. He hopped down the first base line on his right foot and then crouched down. He was checked by an athletic trainer, took a few swings and then finished his at-bat, grounding out to second baseman Jake Cronenworth, who made a nice diving stop.

“Not a good feeling, especially when you watch him go down like that and looks like he’s in a lot of pain,” Mendoza said. “He hits that ball and he looks uncomfortable running down the line. The first thing the trainer’s telling me, like, ‘I’ve got to go out there and I’ve got to take X-rays,’ so you’re kind of just holding your breath there. Once I got the news, it’s a sense of relief.”

Jeff McNeil moved from center field to right, while Tyrone Taylor entered the game batting third and playing center.

Soto came in hitting .249 with 25 homers and 62 RBIs.

Soto joined the Mets in December when he signed the biggest contract in baseball history, a $765 million, 15-year deal.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb