These days, even the New York Mets wins come with a tinge of concern.
Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez exited Sundayâs game against the Seattle Mariners in the Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pa., with an apparent right thumb injury.
Alvarez, 23, went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI, as the Mets won back-to-back games for the first time this month with a 7-3 victory.
For the season, Alvarez is batting .265 with seven home runs, 24 RBI and a .787 OPS.
How Did Francisco Alvarez Get Hurt?
Alvarezâs injury occurred in the seventh inning when he jammed his right thumb on a headfirst slide into second base following a double off the right-field fence at Historic Bowman Field.
Alvarez was briefly examined by trainers and initially stayed in the game before he was replaced on defense the next half-inning by Luis Torrens.
The injury came at an especially unfortunate time, as Alvarez’s bat had started to heat up. Alvarez entered Sunday with six hits in his last 16 at-bats, including three home runs.
In 41 at-bats this month, Alvarez is slashing .341/.400/.659 with three homers and 11 RBI.
How Have Injuries Affected Francisco Alvarez?
Injuries have become all too common for Alvarez, who missed almost two months in 2024 with a left thumb sprain, which required surgery. He also was out the first 25 games of this season after fracturing his left hamate bone in spring training.
Alvarez was sent down to the minor leagues in late June after struggling following his return.
The Mets had grown frustrated by Alvarezâs lack of consistency. In his first 35 games before the demotion, he slashed .236/.319/.333 with thee homers and 11 RBI.
What Are the Mets Saying About Francisco Alvarez’s Injury?
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza did not have a definitive update on his catcher following Sundayâs game, but said Alvarez will return to New York Monday to undergo an MRI.
âRight now, we donât know what weâre dealing with, but we just gotta wait now,â Mendoza said, via MLB.com.
The Mets, who are just 3-10 over their last 13 games, open a three-game series against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday. The Mets (66-58) hold a 1.5-game lead on the Cincinnati Reds for the final NL wild card spot and trail the Philadelphia Phillies by five games in the NL East.
Mendoza acknowledged Alvarezâs injury is worrisome but refused to speculate about his condition.
âConcerning, Iâm not going to lie,â Mendoza said, via the NY Post.
If Alvarez lands back on the injured list, the defensive-minded Torrens will handle the bulk of playing time behind the plate. Itâd obviously be a significant loss for the playoff-contending Mets.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Mets Concerned About Injury to Key Player appeared first on Heavy Sports.