Mets star Juan Soto misses Sunday's game at Marlins because of an illness

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MIAMI (AP) — New York Mets star slugger Juan Soto was a late lineup scratch against the Miami Marlins on Sunday because of an illness.

Soto was in the original lineup and slotted to bat third as designated hitter. Instead, rookie outfielder A.J. Ewing will hit third with MJ Melendez replacing Soto as the designated hitter.

“He’s been battling with it for the past three days and showed up with fever today, body aches. He didn’t have much sleep,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Hopefully, he recovers and we have a player for today.”

The flu-like symptoms affecting Soto are not an isolated incident, Mendoza added.

“There are a lot of people that for the past week have been dealing with this,” he said.

Soto’s absence will create a huge hole in a lineup that scored only one run and had three hits in each of the first two games against Miami.

The 27-year-old Soto has 10 home runs and an OPS of .949 in his second season with the Mets. New York already is missing star shortstop Francisco Lindor, who has been sidelined since April 22 because calf injury. Injuries also have sidelined regulars Francisco Alvarez, Luis Robert Jr. and Jorge Polanco.

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