SAN FRANCISCO — The bats erupted and Nolan McLean dominated, but Friday night was defined for the Mets by who wasn’t on the field following his first at-bat.

Juan Soto, bothered by right-calf tightness, departed after only a half inning, leaving the Mets to wonder when their best player will return.

Soto singled in the first inning and felt discomfort running from first to third on Bo Bichette’s RBI single. Now the Mets, who snapped a three-game skid with a 10-3 victory over the Giants at Oracle Park, wait on their $765 million outfielder.

“We don’t have much other than what was announced, right calf tightness,” manager Carlos Mendoza said, adding that Soto will receive imaging on Saturday.

What is Mendoza’s concern level?

“There is obviously concern every time you send a player for an MRI and the calf area can be tricky,” he said. “We have just got to wait.”

New York Mets’ Nolan McLean (26) pitches to a San Francisco Giants batter during the fifth inning on Friday, April 3, 2026, in San Francisco. AP

McLean took a perfect game into the sixth but never escaped the inning, his shot at history spoiled by patient at-bats as his pitch count climbed.

The right-hander indicated his cutter was the only pitch he felt comfortable with, forcing him deeper into counts than he would have liked.

He lasted 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs (one unearned) on one hit and two walks with four strikeouts, departing after 93 pitches.

“I was just trying to piece it together,” McLean said. “Nothing felt incredibly great. Everything felt OK toward later in the game, but just kind of the full counts snuck up on me there at the end. I got a little bit fatigued by the end of it.”

Francisco Alvarez of the New York Mets celebrates trotting around the bases after hitting a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the seventh inning at Oracle Park on April 3, 2026 in San Francisco, California. Getty Images

McLean said he didn’t realize he had carried a perfect game into the sixth.

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“It didn’t really feel that way just because of how many 3-2 counts and behind on counts I felt like I was,” he said. “So, it kind of felt grindier than what the scoreboard showed.” 

Francisco Alvarez led the Mets’ three-homer attack with two blasts (Marcus Semien hit the other) in the Mets’ best showing offensively since their 11-run outburst against the Pirates on Opening Day.

New York Mets left fielder Juan Soto (22) reacts on a call strike against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Alvarez’s bid at a three-homer game included a shot to the warning track in center field in the eighth inning.

The perfect game watch officially began as McLean breezed through the fifth, easily retiring Matt Chapman and Jung Hoo Lee before working the count full to Heliot Ramos. McLean unleashed a hellacious sweeper that nicked the inside corner for a called third strike.

McLean took the mound for the sixth at 67 pitches and walked Harrison Bader, reducing the performance to a no-hit watch. McLean worked the count full to Patrick Bailey and walked him, giving the Giants a rally. Jerar Encarnacion worked a nine-pitch at-bat before flying out, and Willy Adames ended the no-hit drama and McLean’s night with a shot that one-hopped the fence in right center for an RBI double.

Brooks Raley struck out Rafael Devers, but before the lefty could escape the inning, an Alvarez passed ball allowed the Giants’ second run to score.

The Mets countered in the seventh with Alvarez’s second homer of the night and an RBI single by Luis Robert Jr. that extended the lead to 7-2. Mark Vientos continued the party with an RBI single in the inning.

Bichette was among the offensive heroes, with a 3-for-5 performance in easily his best game since arriving to the Mets. The team was without Jorge Polanco, whose left Achilles tendonitis placed him on the bench and raised questions about his near-term availability. Polanco has dealt with discomfort since Sunday, limiting him to the DH spot.   

The Mets sent eight batters to the plate against Tyler Mahle in the first inning and scored twice, but missed an opportunity to break open the game early. Bichette delivered an RBI single, and Robert Jr. walked to reload the bases before Brett Baty hit a comebacker that turned into a 1-2-3 double play.

New York Mets’ Marcus Semien, center, celebrates with Carson Benge, left, after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning. AP

But Semien, who snapped an 0-for-20 a night earlier, slashed an RBI single following a walk to Vientos, extending the Mets’ lead to 2-0. The rally started with consecutive singles by Francisco Lindor and Soto.

Semien struck again in the fourth with a two-run homer to center that gave the Mets a 4-0 lead. The blast was Semien’s first in a Mets uniform. Two batters later, Alvarez cleared the center field fence.

Ramos’ single in the seventh against Huascar Brazoban gave the Giants their second hit. Brazoban recovered to retire Bader, ending the inning.

Luis Arraez delivered a bloop RBI single in the eighth against Richard Lovelady before Baty stroked an RBI double in the ninth. Carson Benge’s RBI fielder’s choice brought in the Mets’ 10th run.