Tag: Francisco Alvarez

Mets plan to start Francisco Alvarez at catcher on Sunday

Mets fans clamoring for a look at the future will get their wish Sunday from Francisco Alvarez.

Called up from Triple-A on Friday, Alvarez is expected to be the starting catcher Sunday against the Marlins, manager Buck Showalter revealed Saturday before Tomas Nido made his second straight start behind the plate.

Alvarez made his MLB debut last September during the thick of a division title race and hit 5-for-14 over five games while catching 13 innings.

Regarded as the Mets’ top prospect by Baseball America entering each of the last three seasons, Alvarez didn’t make the cut out of spring training after hitting .107 in 28 at-bats.

But he didn’t have to idle long because Omar Navarez suffered a medium-to-high-grade strain of his left calf that typically requires a recovery of at least eight weeks.

Carlos Carrasco is scheduled to pitch to Alvarez.

Navarez’s injury takes away the luxury of matching up Alvarez with pitchers he might be more comfortable with than others after spring training.

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“At some point, they have to be comfortable with you and you have to get comfortable with them, and there’s only one way to do that,” manager Buck Showalter said. “All the guys have no problem throwing to him. In fact, they embrace it.”

There is no question Alvarez’s bat can help the weak bottom half of the Mets’ lineup, but Showalter is hesitant to put both catchers in the lineup by DH-ing Alvarez.


Francisco Alvarez
Diamond Images/Getty Images

Alvarez’s challenge will be handling a MLB pitching staff.

“You can tell he’s very much into [that] part of the game,” Showalter said. “He knows that’s something he has to be good at. He chased it from the first day of spring, making pitchers confident with him. If they see you are preparing for their outing, it means a lot to them. It’s more than just hitting.”

Mark Canha made his 59th career start – but first since Sept. 23, 2020 with the Athletics – at first base Saturday against the Marlins.

The every-day left fielder played one inning there last season, per Baseball Reference, but re-sharpened his skills with infield coach Joey Cora during spring training.


Mark Canha
Mark Canha
MLB Photos via Getty Images

“This is not something new and experimental,” Showalter said. “We knew this might be coming.”

Canha’s versatility allowed the Mets to cut backup first baseman Darin Ruf at the end of camp.

The lineup change created a half-day-off for Pete Alonso (designated hitter) and allowed Tommy Pham (.308) to slide in for Daniel Vogelbach (.231).

It also takes some outfield wear-and-tear off of Canha’s body after he was hit in the calf by a pitch Friday.

“It’s good to be able to give Pete a day: He’ll never admit it, but he’s going to need it here and there,” Showalter said. “[Canha] is a very athletic guy – same reason why we felt comfortable playing him at third base some last year. He doesn’t look at a place he doesn’t play every day as a reason not to be good at it. Mark wants it.”

Tylor Megill was struck in the leg by a comebacker in Friday’s start.

He stayed in the game. Any day-after concern?


Tylor Megill
Getty Images

“So far, so good,” Showalter said of the message from the trainers. “I don’t think it’s going to be an issue for his next start. I’m trying to maneuver some things with the rotation to make sure everybody gets the proper rest.”

The plan was to examine Megill on Saturday before deciding if further imaging is needed, Showalter said.

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Francisco Alvarez’s struggles continue for Mets after call-up

ATLANTA — There are many culprits in a Mets offense that went silent when it needed to be loud. Francisco Lindor went 2-for-13 with five strikeouts in the series. Mark Canha struggled to a 2-for-11 line. In James McCann’s lone start, he showed no life in an 0-for-3 Sunday night. 

But no at-bats this weekend were followed closer than the first eight of the career of Francisco Alvarez, who was called up in the heat of a pennant race as the Mets’ potential 20-year-old savior. 

The top prospect in baseball could not save them. He is still seeking his first hit after a 5-3 loss at Truist Park that finished a devastating, three-game sweep at the Braves’ hands. 

When they called up the DH/catcher, manager Buck Showalter and general manager Billy Eppler said Alvarez would be advised against trying to play hero ball, attempting to announce himself with a 500-foot shot. In all eight of his at-bats, Alvarez swung at the first pitch. 

Francisco Alvarez reacts during the Mets’ loss to the Braves.
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Showalter pointed out that many were strikes, but acknowledged Alvarez’s struggles. 

“It’s part of a young player going through it,” Showalter said of Alvarez, who was called up as a righty DH on Friday, when Darin Ruf hit the injured list. “It’s tough because with [Starling] Marte and even [Brett] Baty out and some people, it kind of pushes him there.” 

The Mets saw Alvarez, who had posted an .885 OPS in 112 games between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse, as the organization’s next logical righty bat. In his first chances, he showed his youth more than his potential. 

On Sunday, Alvarez pinch hit for lefty-hitting Daniel Vogelbach in the fifth inning because the Braves had brought in lefty Dylan Lee. In what was probably his best at-bat, Alvarez fought back from an 0-2 count and worked the count full, but he swung through a slider on the eighth pitch he saw for his third career strikeout. 

In the seventh inning, Alvarez, against righty Raisel Iglesias, jumped on a first-pitch sinker and grounded out. 

“I saw a young kid that wanted to do something special for the team and himself,” Lindor said of Alvarez, whom the Mets declined to make available to the media after the game. “I’ve never played with him. That might be his approach. That might be the way he attacks pitchers.” 

Francisco Alvarez grounds out in the fifth inning.
USA TODAY Sports

All series, Alvarez was given a steady dose of off-speed and breaking pitches — seven of the eight he saw from Lee were sliders. He will have to earn his way to fastballs. 

Tons of minor league standouts struggle upon their first taste of the majors. Few, though, are thrust into the spotlight and called up for the club’s three largest games of the season. The Mets could have given a longer look to Mark Vientos but were too intrigued by Alvarez’s promise. Vientos had two at-bats in the series, grounding out Friday and striking out in Sunday’s eighth inning. 

The Mets scored a total of seven runs in the three losses, and the young slugger was not to blame for the sweep. But he was not the rare phenom who excels immediately, either. 

“He’ll learn from it and get better,” Showalter said. “He’s going to be a good player.”

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