The New York Mets will start the season without their starting catcher as Francisco Alvarez is set to undergo hand surgery. Mets’ manager Carlo Mendoza told reporters the news of Alvarez suffering a fractured left hamate bone that is set to keep him out six to eight weeks.
This is a huge hit to the Mets as Alvarez has burst onto the scene as one of the best young catchers in baseball. The 23-year-old broke out in 2023, hitting 25 home runs and adding 63 RBIs across the 123 games he played. Alvarez had a bit of a down season last year as he dealt with some other injury issues but still had 11 home runs and 47 RBIs in the regular season. He was a key part of the Mets’ run to the NLCS in the playoffs.
Expectations are high for the Mets this season as they made the biggest splash in the offseason signing Juan Soto to a historic contract and taking him away from their cross-town rivals. With Pete Alonso returning, Sean Manaea handed a multi-year deal and additions like Frankie Montas—the Mets should be taken seriously this season. It is a loaded NL East with the Phillies looking the defend their divisional title and the Braves set to bounce back from their injury-riddled season last year. The Mets are currently tied with the Phillies for the fourth-best odds to win the World Series on DraftKings Sportsbook at +1200 odds. The Braves are second in World Series odds at +750.
Fantasy Baseball Impact:
With the 6-8 week timeline beginning now, Alvarez should be set for a return around mid-April. Due to the nature of the hand injury, the catcher will need to fully step away from baseball and let it rest for the time being. With his ramp-up period and rehab assignment in mind, it is possible he will not return to the lineup until May.
In his absence, Luis Torrens will become the primary catcher for New York. He is currently the only other catcher on the 40-man roster. Jackson Reetz and Chris Williams can be viewed as depth pieces but expect Torrens to be to get the first crack at the opportunity.
Torrens is entering his eighth MLB season and has mostly spent time as a backup. His most impressive statistical season was in 2021 with the Seattle Mariners. Torrens played 108 games and hit 14 home runs, added 47 RBIs, and hit .243 at the plate.
He played 43 games for the Mets last season, tallying 27 hits in his 118 at-bats. Torrens smashed three home runs and added 15 RBIs during these limited opportunities.
With the Mets’ star-studded lineup responsible for delivering most of the offensive responsibility, the biggest priority of Torrens will be the management of the pitching staff. This Mets will not reach their peak as a team until Alvarez gets healthy and returns to the lineup. But Torrens is a serviceable backup option who will be capable of helping the team tread water. Hopefully, it is a quick recovery for Alvarez and the injury outlook does not get worse for the Mets moving forward.
The Mets will open up the season on March 27th against the Houston Astros.
