New York Mets Catcher Francisco Alvarez Set for Hand Surgery: What This Means for His 6-8 Week Recovery

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Francisco Alvarez, the catcher for the New York Mets, will have surgery on Monday for a broken hamate bone in his left hand. Manager Carlos Mendoza stated that Alvarez is expected to be out for six to eight weeks, which is a significant setback for the team.

This injury hits the Mets hard, especially since their lineup is considered a major strength. Alvarez even called it one of the best in baseball during spring training. He was slated to bat around seventh in the order, so his absence will be felt.

Alvarez’s injury also affects the pitching staff. At just 23 years old, he has made a name for himself by helping pitchers perform at their best. The Mets are already missing starting pitchers Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas due to their own injuries.

“It’s tough when your starting catcher is injured,” Mendoza said. “We believe in our players. Others will get a chance to step up. We have options in-house, but I’m sure the front office is monitoring the market too.”

Backup catcher Luis Torrens is expected to take on most of the responsibility in Alvarez’s absence. The Mets brought Torrens aboard last May, and he quickly made an impact. He started strong, hitting .304 and playing solid defense. However, his performance dipped dramatically later in the season, where he batted only .122 in August and September.

Currently, the Mets don’t have a clear third-string catcher. They have options in Hayden Senger, Chris Williams, and Jakson Reetz, but none are on the 40-man roster. The team could look into free-agent options like former Mets catcher James McCann or Yasmani Grandal, but with Alvarez’s injury being short-term, a major signing seems unlikely.

The injury happened while Alvarez was taking a swing in live batting practice on Saturday. This marks the second consecutive season he has injured his left hand, which he uses to catch. Last April, he had to undergo surgery for a torn ligament in his left thumb.

Over the winter, Alvarez tried to improve his swing based on advice from former Mets star J.D. Martinez. He aimed to utilize the entire field better. However, he faced challenges offensively, posting a .237 batting average with 11 home runs across 342 plate appearances in 2024.

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