MLB Rumors: New York Mets provide a vital update on Francisco Alvarez after surgery
According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, starting catcher Francisco Alvarez needs surgery for a broken left hamate bone, which is devastating injury news for the New York Mets.
Tim Healey of Newsday Sports reported that the Mets declared that Francisco Alvarez's operation proceeded "as expected." He won't be able to start the regular season because he will be out for six to eight weeks.
Francisco Alvarez will be with the Mets for his third full season in 2025. In 2023, he made an immediate impression by slicing. 209/.284/.437 with 63 RBI and 25 home homers in 123 games.
He wasn't as much of a home run threat in 2024, but that kind of power is particularly useful for clubs looking to add depth to their lineup.
One of the best young catchers in baseball, Alvarez is still a vital member of the Mets' lineup at the age of 23. He struggled with injuries last season, but he managed to drive in 47 runs and hit 11 home runs in 308 at-bats as the Mets went to the NLCS.
In 2023, he had a fantastic debut, hitting 25 home runs and dishing out 63 RBI in 123 games. He will eventually join Mark Vientos, Juan Soto, and Pete Alonso to form the core of the Mets' lineup.
The Mets were positioned to contend for a World Series with the addition of Soto and the return of Alonso, but injuries have thrown them off course from the start.
The Mets and Francisco Alvarez were plagued by injuries.
The Mets have already seen a number of injuries this spring. They signed veteran Frankie Montas and left-hander Sean Manaea to multi-year contracts in free agency, but both players will begin the season on the injured list.
Although Brandon Nimmo is anticipated to return to baseball exercises early this week, he has been dealing with right knee discomfort that necessitated a gel injection on Friday. Additionally, Starling Marte has missed games this spring due to a knee injury.
While he has been taking live at-bats, he remains a few days away from making his spring debut.
The Mets open the season on March 27 against the Houston Astros, and with a six-to-eight-week recovery timeline, its starting catcher likely won’t be available until late April or early May.
Luis Torrens, the only other catcher on the active roster, gives the Mets a veteran option as they look to stay afloat without Alvarez.
If Alvarez's six-to-eight-week recovery stays on track, he could resume baseball activities by mid-April. However, he would still need time to ramp up and complete a rehab assignment, making it likely he won’t return to the lineup until at least early May.
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