New York Mets catcher Luis Torrens continues to challenge the franchise, but this may ultimately benefit the roster. On an absolute tear at the plate since August 1, the veteran backup is hitting. Luis Torrens has a batting average of .275, with six home runs and 13 runs batted in. On the other hand, Francisco Alvarez, once considered the Mets’ catcher of the present and future, struggles both offensively and defensively.
Mets general manager David Stearns locked Torrens in for a two-year, team-friendly deal. As a result, New York could look to move him to fill holes along the roster. Tim Boyle of Rising Apple details Torrens’ late-season impact.
“It’s the second half where things have changed most. Torrens’ 6 home runs trail only Francisco Lindor and Luis Robert Jr., who’ve each knocked 7. He’s hitting a robust .333/.407/.750. Alvarez, meanwhile, has clobbered 4 home runs, but he’s slashing .195/.346/.379. He has struck out 39 times in 87 at-bats. Torrens has whiffed just 6 times in 48 and erased each with another 6 walks; the idea of trading Alvarez first seemed to come around this summer.
After the deep cleansing of the Mets roster in the offseason, it opened all of our eyes to all possibilities. The winks and nudges toward a different catching tandem couldn’t be more obvious.”
Luis Torrens goes the other way for a two-run blast!
His sixth home run in the month of August! pic.twitter.com/NkXoGT6VGL
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 23, 2026
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Defense Matters
In the offseason, Stearns preached run prevention, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing defense over offense. This is the reason many believe Pete Alonso plays in Baltimore. In fairness, that hasn’t worked out too well for the team. Mark Vientos, regardless of where you put him, is not a good fielder. Similarly, Brett Baty, other than at third base, continues to display an adventurous side. For example, three errors in 83 chances at first remain inexcusable.
Meanwhile, defense is another part of Torrens’ game that the Mets can rely on. According to Baseball Reference, the 30-year-old excels in various aspects on that front. First, his .997 fielding percentage stays above the league average of .992. Next, he throws out 37.5% of runners attempting to steal. The MLB average is 23.5%.
Plus, Torrens only allowed two passed balls. In contrast, Alvarez leads the league with nine. If he continues that route, he will attain that dubious achievement for the third time. In essence, Alavrez by no metric is a good defensive backstop. As a result, he cannot be relied upon to stay in the role of starting catcher.
Luis Torrens throws out Isaac Collins at first! pic.twitter.com/bPZpm5NIjf
— SNY (@SNYtv) July 8, 2026
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What to Do with Alvarez?
For the Mets, trading Alvarez looks like the most logical move. Any team that acquires him will have him under contract control until 2029. Also, they don’t need to worry about sending a top prospect to Queens in exchange for an injury-prone catcher who struggles defensively. At this point, and based on his physical shape, catcher or designated hitter looks like where Alvarez will play.
Granted, when he puts a charge into the ball, it travels. Yet, that does not erase the lower batting average and issues behind the plate. Torrens may not be the answer in five years for the Mets. However, right now, he looks like the immediate solution, and the team can figure it out later.
Mets Face Massive Catcher Decision as Luis Torrens Outshines Francisco Alvarez