Mets fans, hold your breath—Juan Soto exited Tuesday night's game early after fouling a pitch off his lower leg in the third inning. The ball struck the front of his ankle and the top of his foot, a painful blow that had the dugout on alert. Despite the scare, the superstar slugger, serving as the designated hitter, gutted it out for one more at-bat in the sixth. But he looked visibly uncomfortable in the box, and when his turn came up in the seventh with runners on first and third, two outs, and the Mets having just tied the game at 2-2, manager Carlos Mendoza sent MJ Melendez to pinch-hit.

This is the second night in a row a Mets hitter has left early due to a batter's box injury. On Monday, catcher Francisco Alvarez suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee on a swing, a blow that lands him on the IL. For Soto, the hope is that ice and rest do the trick—and that he avoids joining the team's growing list of walking wounded. At 26, Soto is the engine of this lineup, and with the season still young, every precaution matters. Stay tuned for updates, and in the meantime, gear up for the next game with some fresh Mets threads—because every fan knows the power of a good rally cap.