Alvarez hits 2 homers and Mets bust out at the plate to back McLean in 10-3 blowout of Giants

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Francisco Alvarez homered twice and rookie Nolan McLean retired his first 15 batters as the New York Mets snapped a three-game skid Friday night with a 10-3 rout of the San Francisco Giants.

Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien each had three of New York's season-high 15 hits after the Mets totaled only three runs in their previous three games. Mark Vientos reached base safely four times, but slugger Juan Soto exited early with right calf tightness.

Soto is scheduled for an MRI on Saturday, manager Carlos Mendoza said.

Semien launched his first homer for the Mets and drove in three runs. Bichette opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first.

McLean (1-0) took a perfect game into the sixth before walking Harrison Bader and Patrick Bailey to begin the inning. Jerar Encarnacion flied out to right field, but Willy Adames doubled to right-center to bring home Bader and end McLean’s night.

The right-hander was charged with two runs (one earned). He struck out four. Four relievers combined to finish a five-hitter.

Run-scoring singles by Bichette and Semien off Tyler Mahle (0-2) gave the Mets a 2-0 lead in the first.

Semien drilled a two-run homer to center off Mahle in the fourth. One out later, Alvarez also took Mahle deep to center.

Alvarez led off the Mets’ three-run seventh with a homer to left against JT Brubaker, giving the catcher three home runs this season and six career multihomer games.

Soto singled in the first and appeared to slow up while running from first to third on Bichette’s RBI single. He was forced out at home when Brett Baty grounded into a 1-2-3 double play, and Tyrone Taylor replaced Soto in left field for the bottom of the inning.

The 27-year-old Soto has hit safely in all eight games this season. He's in the second season of a record $765 million, 15-year contract with the Mets. He had 43 homers and 105 RBIs while playing in 160 games last season.

Mets RHP Clay Holmes (1-0) faces Giants RHP Landen Roupp on Saturday night.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

New York Mets' Francisco Alvarez (4) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Friday, April 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) and pitcher Luis García (40) celebrate after the team's victory over the San Francisco Giants in a baseball game Friday, April 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Mets' Marcus Semien, center, celebrates with Carson Benge, left, after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Friday, April 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean throws to a San Francisco Giants batter during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, April 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Mets' Francisco Alvarez (4) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Friday, April 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — New York Mets slugger Juan Soto left Friday night’s game against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning with right calf tightness and is scheduled for an MRI on Saturday.

“There’s obviously concern,” manager Carlos Mendoza said after his team's 10-3 victory. “The calf area could be tricky. We’ve just got to wait, but there’s obviously concern.”

Soto singled off Tyler Mahle in the top of the first and appeared to slow up while going first to third on Bo Bichette's run-scoring single.

“He felt something,” Mendoza said. “As he was standing at third base, he continued to get tight.”

Soto was forced out at home plate when Brett Baty grounded into a 1-2-3 double play, and Tyrone Taylor replaced Soto in left field for the bottom of the first.

The 27-year-old Soto is in the second season of a record $765 million, 15-year contract with the Mets. He had 43 homers and 105 RBIs while playing in 160 games last season.

The four-time All-Star and six-time Silver Slugger award winner has played at least 150 games six times in his eight major league seasons before this one. The only times he didn't were the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and his rookie year with Washington in 2018, when he was called up on May 20. He hasn't been on the injured list since early in the 2021 season with the Nationals.

Soto has hit safely in all eight Mets games this season. He entered Friday with a .282 career batting average and 245 home runs.

He also has played for the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

New York Mets' Juan Soto slides into home plate to score on a double by Bo Bichette during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in San Francisco, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

New York Mets' Juan Soto hits a single during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in San Francisco, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)