The New York Mets are dealing with a sickening problem right now. Before Sunday’s game against the Miami Marlins, Carlos Mendoza revealed a flu bug that has spread in the clubhouse. It has also forced their best hitter to be sidelined.

Juan Soto was removed from the lineup before the series finale with severe flu symptoms. Without him, the result was disastrous.

The lineup could not manage a single run as the Mets went down 4-0. Their record now is a dismal 22-31, last in the NL East. However, Mendoza’s update in the clubhouse is something of a much bigger concern.

“Soto is ill, so he is out of the lineup. This is something that we have been battling for the past week. He’s been battling for the past three days and showed up with a fever today,” Mendoza shared. “There are a lot of people you know, as I said, for the past week I’ve been dealing with this kind of flu going on,” SNY quoted Mendoza.

There’s still no confirmation on which players are suffering from the flu apart from Soto, but if they all start to miss games, it would be another disaster for the Mets.

The franchise is already dealing with a huge injury list. Big names like Francisco Lindor (10-day injured list with a strained left calf), Francisco Alvarez (to miss 8 weeks, following a surgery for a torn meniscus in his right knee), and Jared Young (torn left knee meniscus – fully healthy but needs to work on his timing at the plate) are out. Now, if the flu forces more players to miss time, the Mets’ thin lineup will completely fall apart. That would ruin their season and kill their playoff hopes.

Soto’s absence has already hit the Mets hard.

Last Monday, the Mets’ offense had a blast, scoring 16 runs against the Washington Nationals. Since then, the team has just scored 14 runs in the next 5 games. In the three games against the Marlins, they scored only 2 runs.

Soto had six homers in his last 15 games, and in the game he missed, the Mets’ lineup faltered.

Previously, when Soto was sidelined with a calf strain, the Mets lost 12 games in a row. Only Jared Young was playing better than Soto. Names like Bichette and Mark Vientos are all struggling.

Soto has been the team’s only real offensive threat, hitting .294 with 10 home runs. Without his bat on Sunday, the lineup was totally lifeless. Only Bichette, A.J. Ewing, and MJ Melendez managed to get hits.

The Mets are currently ranked 25th in terms of total runs scored (205) and average (.228). Soto is uncertain if he will come back in the next game.

Still, a few positive updates are coming out of Mendoza.

A few names are returning soon to the Mets

It needs a miracle for the Mets to be lifted from their current record; still, getting back a few names from the IL is the best the team could hope for now.

“He’s getting better, showing signs of healing,” Mendoza talked about Lindor via SNY. “Now we’re moving to the phase of the strength part, moving to the weight room before he starts his running progression. Positive sign, we’ve just gotta let it heal.”

Before getting sidelined, Lindor was struggling both at the plate and in defense.

He was hitting .226 and could manage only two homers, but his experience matters. In 160 games for the Mets last year, Lindor batted .267 with 172 hits, 31 home runs, 86 RBIs, and 117 runs scored. He added 35 doubles and 31 stolen bases, ultimately finishing 10th in the NL MVP voting.

He could be the right veteran to help lift the team.

The next returning name is Jared Young.

Per Mendoza, there’s a “good chance” that Young would be back by the Mets’ next home series. Apart from hitting above .300, his versatility was on full display this year. Young played at first base, left field, right field, and DH.

Mendoza, though, did not confirm the exact timeline for the two, but for now, it is the best update the Mets fans could have.