Francisco Alvarez returns to Mets' lineup and will get 'a lot of opportunities,' Carlos Mendoza says
Francisco Alvarez of the Mets reacts after lining out to end a game in the 13th inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field on May 23. Credit: Jim McIsaac
David Stearns said the Mets wanted to see how Francisco Alvarez would “respond to the challenge that we gave him” after they demoted him to Triple-A Syracuse on June 22.
Twenty-nine days later on Monday, the 23-year-old righthanded catcher — after mashing 11 homers in 19 minor-league games — was officially recalled and batted eighth in the Mets’ series opener against the Angels at Citi Field.
Alvarez received a loud ovation ahead of his first MLB at-bat in 30 days, which came in a big early spot. With runners on second and third with two outs in the second inning and the Mets in a 1-0 hole, Alvarez swung at a 2-and-1, outside changeup and grounded out to second base.
In the fourth inning, he worked a four-pitch walk in his second plate appearance.
Alvarez caught Zach Neto stealing in the top of the seventh, and he led off the bottom half with a walk after falling behind 0-and-2. He scored on Francisco Lindor’s fielder’s choice groundout.
In the eyes of Stearns, the franchise’s president of baseball operations, Alvarez’s return happened faster than he envisioned.
“I’ve seen this go both ways,” Stearns said in a news conference Monday afternoon. “I’ve seen players sulk and ask, ‘Why is this happening? Why me?’ And then I’ve seen players turn the corner and look to get back and look to work and look to work with the instructors in a less pressurized environment. And from Day One when Alvy was there, that’s what he did.
“He worked extremely hard. I think he understood and recognized that the way he was performing at the major-league level on both sides of the ball was not who he was. And he took the opportunity away from the bright lights and the cameras and the pressure of a major-league environment to work, and he improved very rapidly.”
Catcher Hayden Senger, who was backing up Luis Torrens, was optioned to Syracuse.
When asked about the playing time situation between Alvarez and Torrens, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Alvarez will get “a lot of opportunities.”
Getting sent down to the minors after playing 263 MLB games can certainly be difficult to swallow. Stearns said he was expecting Alvarez to take the full 72 hours allotted for players to report to Syracuse after the surprising decision, and he would have given him a couple more days if he needed.
Alvarez showed up immediately and was in the Syracuse lineup by June 24.
From the Mets’ side of things, a sense of pride in his progression was palpable.
“We’re all proud of him, because it’s not easy to do,” Mendoza said. “But that’s part of what big-league players go through at times. You know that you’re going to face challenges, and there’s going to be adversity — whether it’s at this level or in the minor leagues. And he handled it like a pro, and here he is.”
Mendoza lauded Alvarez’s defensive improvements with Syracuse, including his engagement with the pitchers and his receiving, blocking, game-planning and game-calling.
Alvarez, through his interpreter, said: “Being down in Triple-A, I think what helped me was I learned how to be patient. I just continued to work hard, continued to do what I needed to do, and just to put in the time to eventually get back to the big leagues.”
Alvarez homered seven times in his last six games with Syracuse. He slashed .270/.372/.757 in 21 games in Triple-A, which includes two games during his April rehab assignment after he fractured the hamate bone in his left hand.
In 35 games with the Mets this season, Alvarez posted a .236/.319/.333 slash line with three homers and 11 RBIs.
Mendoza told Alvarez on Monday to not try to do anything extra and just be himself, acknowledging that there will be struggles and successes. Alvarez noted how important it is for him to not leave Queens again.
“When you stumble on a rock, you don’t want to stumble there again,” Alvarez said. “So it’s just continue to move forward and avoid that rock so you don’t stumble again.”
Notes & quotes: Mendoza said that Starling Marte (right knee bruise) is “a couple days” away and will not need a rehab assignment . . . Righthander Jose Butto (illness) pitched for Syracuse on Sunday and will pitch again Wednesday, either with Syracuse or the Mets . . . The Mets claimed righthander Rico Garcia, who pitched 4 2⁄3 scoreless innings over two games with the team earlier this month, off waivers from the Yankees. He had yet to report as of Monday afternoon . . . Lefty Richard Lovelady was outrighted to Syracuse . . . Righthander Paul Blackburn (right shoulder impingement) will make his second rehab start on Tuesday for Syracuse . . . Righty Dedniel Nunez, who recently had Tommy John surgery, was transferred to the 60-day IL.
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports' general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
