Juan Soto exits with apparent injury after fouling ball off ankle

NEW YORK — Juan Soto eventually could not play through the pain after shooting a foul ball off his right ankle in his second at-bat of the Mets' game against the Tigers on Wednesday.

Soto was removed before his fourth at-bat of the game with the go-ahead run on third base in a 2-2 game. Melendez served as the pinch hitter.

There has been no update on Soto's status.

The Mets outfielder, who was acting as their designated hitter on Wednesday, was in clear discomfort after fouling a 2-0 pitch from the Tigers' Framber Valdez off the bottom of his leg in the third inning. He remained in the game after crouching near the on-deck circle and hobbling back into the batter's box.

Soto was ineffective at the plate throughout the game, going 0-for-3 with two ground balls and a strikeout.

The injuries are already mounting for the Mets, who lost Francisco Alvarez to a torn meniscus in his right knee following Tuesday night's 10-2 win. The club is already without Francisco Lindor (calf), Jorge Polanco (Achilles bursitis) and Luis Robert Jr. (herniated disc in lower back).

The Mets have already called up A.J. Ewing to shoulder some of the burden in the outfield. If Soto needs to miss more time, Tyrone Taylor could play a more meaningful role in the outfield, along with Melendez.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Juan Soto exits with injury in NY Mets game vs Tigers