Juan Soto has returned to the New York Mets, activated from the injured list after recovering from a right calf strain sustained on April 3. He will start as the designated hitter against the Minnesota Twins, who the Mets face as they attempt to end a 12-game losing streak, the longest for the franchise since 2002. During this period, the Mets have struggled offensively, scoring two or fewer runs in nine games and being shut out three times. Soto, who had an impressive start to the season with an 11-for-31 record (.355 batting average) and a .928 OPS, did not participate in team activities during his recovery. Despite the team's struggles, both Soto and manager Carlos Mendoza believe his return will positively influence the lineup. Mendoza highlighted the importance of flexibility in Soto's workload as they assess his performance in the coming games. The Mets, with a $380 million payroll, aim to break the historical trend of teams failing to reach the postseason after such a losing streak, and Soto is determined to help turn the season around without feeling the pressure.