The New York Mets aren’t expecting injured catcher Francisco Alvarez to return until mid-July following surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, with Anthony DiComo of MLB.com sharing the news of the updated timeline.
Alvarez was removed from a game against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, May 12, after an awkward swing. He was soon diagnosed with a significant knee injury. Manager Carlos Mendoza initially suggested Alvarez could return in between six and eight weeks. The backstop is looking at the longer end of that timetable.
Injuries have hampered Alvarez for the majority of his career. He’s played more than 100 games just once since debuting with the Mets in 2022. Alvarez was limited to 277 plate appearances last season after dealing with multiple hand issues.
New York Mets News Update: Francisco Alvarez Has Successful Surgery, Won’t Return Until Mid-July
The Mets placed Alvarez on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday, May 13. Catcher Hayden Senger was recalled to take his spot on the roster. Backup Luis Torrens is likely to assume regular playing time behind the plate. New York recently inked Torres to a two-year, $11.5 million extension. The veteran has hit just .216 across 20 games this season.
The absence of Alvarez is a tough blow for a Mets’ offense that has struggled for much of the season. The club has scored the second-fewest runs in the league. Only the San Francisco Giants have been worse on offense. New York ranks dead last in OPS, wOBA, and wRC+. The team has combined for a .225 batting average, ahead of just the Cincinnati Reds and the San Diego Padres.
Alvarez was off to a solid start to the campaign. He was slashing .241/.317/.393 through 128 plate appearances. The 24-year-old has popped four home runs and driven in 10. Alvarez has a career-low .152 ISO, but he’s taken a step forward in terms of contact. The backstop has a career-best 21.9% strikeout rate over 37 games.
Mets Get a Defensive Upgrade at Catcher
With Torrens replacing Alvarez behind the plate, the Mets will get a bump on the defensive side. The glove is the main reason New York locked Torrens into a longer-term contract. The 30-year-old has piled up 19 Defensive Runs Saved over the past three seasons with the Mets. That includes a +4 DRS performance in just 132.2 innings this season.
Alvarez has struggled defensively for the majority of his career. He was a neutral defender in his brief debut in 2022. He actually posted a strong year with the glove in 2023, delivering 6 DRS across 873.2 innings. Alvarez has fallen off a cliff since then. He’s put up -11 DRS over the past three years, including a -5 DRS in just 244.1 innings this year.
Statcast rates Alvarez as below average in just about every defensive category. He ranks in the 10th percentile for blocks above average. Alvarez is in the 31st percentile for caught stealing above average. He’s in the 38th percentile for framing. The backstop earned high marks for framing in 2023 and 2024, but he’s regressed in the past two campaigns. Alvarez has never graded out positively as a blocker or thrower.
Mets Announce Discouraging Timeline for Francisco Alvarez