Soto, Young and Minter return to the Mets; OF Taylor on the IL with hip flexor strain

NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto, A.J. Minter and Jared Young returned to the New York Mets on Tuesday, when the last-place club’s depth was challenged again by the loss of outfielder Tyrone Taylor to the 10-day injured list due to a right hip flexor strain.

Soto, who missed two games due to an illness, went 1 for 4 and accounted for the Mets' runs with a two-run homer in a 7-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds in the middle game of a three-game series.

“Almost back to normal,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of Soto, who was battling a bug that’s been going around the clubhouse.

Young, who batted fifth and played first base, went 0 for 1 with a walk in his first action since April 12, when he tore his left meniscus. Mendoza said the Mets might ease Young into outfield duty. The 30-year-old hit .350 in his first 20 at-bats while seeing time at first base, left field, right field and designated hitter.

Minter struck out two in a scoreless ninth in his first appearance since April 26, 2025, when he suffered a torn left lat. The left-hander also battled a sore left hip earlier this month.

“Felt like I debuted all over again — definitely some butterflies,” Minter said. “Just a lot of emotion. Makes you not take this game for granted.”

Mendoza said he wouldn’t hesitate to use Minter in high-leverage spots. The Mets’ bullpen is in flux behind closer Devin Williams and eighth-inning man Luke Weaver.

“I’ll be comfortable with him throwing the eighth inning in a one-run game, I’ll be comfortable with him getting the last three outs if we need to,” Mendoza said. “I’m glad he’s back on the active roster, because we need him.”

Taylor, the Mets’ top reserve outfielder, hit the injured list one day after he pulled up lame while grounding out in the sixth inning of a 7-2 loss to the Reds. Mendoza said Taylor is week-to-week, which was good news after the Mets feared the 31-year-old might be looking at a far lengthier absence.

“I think it was a sense of relief for him and for all of us here that we didn’t get the worst news,” Mendoza said.

Taylor is the ninth member of the Mets’ opening day roster to hit the injured list. He joins catcher Francisco Alvarez (torn right meniscus), shortstop Francisco Lindor (strained left calf), infielder Jorge Polanco (left Achilles, right wrist), outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (lumbar spine disk herniation) and pitchers Clay Holmes (broken right fibula) and Kodai Senga (lumbar spine inflammation) on the shelf.

Robert was shifted to the 60-day disabled list Tuesday.

In addition to Young, Soto also missed 15 games in April with a strained right calf.

To make room for Minter and Young, the Mets optioned pitcher Jonathan Pintaro and outfielder Nick Morabito to Triple-A Syracuse. Infielder Eric Wagaman was recalled from Syracuse to replace Taylor and went 0-for-2 after entering as a pinch-hitter in the seventh.

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