Juan Soto of the Mets was back in the starting lineup on Thursday night for New York’s finale of a four-game series against the visiting Chicago Cubs.
Soto is batting third and serving as the designated hitter.
Soto exited Tuesday’s game after the fourth inning due to back tightness and then missed both games of Wednesday’s doubleheader.
During Tuesday’s game, broadcast cameras displaced wincing after swings during each of his two at-bats.
Soto, 27, is hitting .299 with 17 homers and 38 RBIs in 61 games this season. He missed 15 games with a strained right calf in April when the Mets dug themselves an early hole by losing 12 straight games.
The four-time All-Star is in his second season with the Mets. He hit a career-best 43 homers last season and tied for the National League lead with a career-high 38 stolen bases last season.
Soto has a .282 career batting average with 261 homers and 735 RBIs in 1,157 games with the Washington Nationals (2018-22), San Diego Padres (2022-23), New York Yankees (2024) and Mets.
The Mets have given up 50 runs while losing five straight games. In the series against the Cubs, they have allowed 29 runs in three setbacks.
