The reeling New York Mets have finally received some good news in what has been a brutal stretch for the team.
Second-year catcher Francisco Alvarez, who underwent surgery last month to repair a torn UCL in his thumb, stood in front of his locker at Citi Field and delivered promising news to reporters that he will be taking batting practice on Saturday for the first time since injuring himself at Dodger Stadium in April.
Francisco Alvarez says he doesn’t exactly know when he will return but will assess how he feels after taking BP tomorrow: pic.twitter.com/8OQIUuUEaf
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 24, 2024
Alvarez went 12 for 31 (.387) in his first 11 games to begin the season, but was 1-for-14 in his final five games before tearing his thumb.
The 22-year-old catcher is coming off a rookie season in 2023, where he clubbed 25 home runs and drove in 63 RBIs with a .721 OPS. Alvarez initially looked like a National Rookie of the Year candidate, but a rough second half at the plate ruined his chances.
Alvarez is one of the Mets’ most important hitters in what has been a disappointing lineup as a group this year, where star figures such as Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo have yet to play to the back of their baseball cards.
Alvarez’s defense has also been missed, specifically in his game-calling and framing abilities, as the Mets’ pitching staff has seen a significant spike in his absence while throwing to backup catchers Omar Narvaez and Tomas Nido. Without Alvarez, the Mets have gone 10-20 and sit in fourth place in the NL East.
In other news, manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that ace right-handed starter Kodai Senga underwent an MRI on his injured triceps, which revealed nerve inflammation. Senga, who received a cortisone injection, will be shut down for 3-5 days and the team is hoping he can begin to ramp up if all goes well.
Carlos Mendoza on his level of concern with Kodai Senga’s injury:
“The good news, it’s just inflammation… we knew from the beginning it was going to take time, and here we are dealing with it.” pic.twitter.com/ygLmuhbMVS
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 24, 2024
However, there is likely concern regarding Senga’s status due to the fact that he injured his shoulder in Spring Training before his latest setback occurred in the arm area.
The Mets’ rotation hasn’t been close to their biggest issue this year, but it would help to have their No. 1 starter back with the big-league club.
In what has been a dark period for the Mets this season, the latest injury updates on Senga and Alvarez provide a glimmer of hope given how much time remains on the baseball calendar to potentially turn things around.
