Francisco Alvarez Returns to the Mets with Determination
Francisco Alvarez is back in Queens, and he’s set on making his mark in the majors for good.
The catcher was brought up from Triple-A Syracuse just in time for Monday’s series opener against the Angels at Citi Field.
“For me, the biggest focus has been on changing who I am as a player,” Alvarez shared, batting eighth in the lineup, through an interpreter. “I’ve really centered on personal development throughout this process, which has helped me grow as a player, person, and teammate.”
The Mets made a notable move to bring Alvarez back on June 22, with the aim of bolstering their roster and addressing the needs surrounding the 23-year-old.
Impressed by his performance in Syracuse, the Mets saw Alvarez excel in various aspects during his time there.
“Going down to Triple-A taught me a lot about patience,” he explained. “It was necessary for me to take that step back to return to the big leagues.”
His time in the majors had been rocky after significant adjustments to his swing over the offseason, but during his 19 games in Syracuse, he posted an impressive 1.233 OPS. Unfortunately, an injury—a broken hamate bone—had kept him sidelined earlier this season.
Before getting the call back up, he ended with seven home runs in just six games at Syracuse, which was a strong finishing streak. Hayden Senger has since replaced him at Syracuse after he and Louis Torrens struggled to make an impact.
“I believe I’m in a balanced position right now,” Alvarez mentioned. “I feel like I’m exactly where I need to be.”
Still, he acknowledged the challenges he faced from opposing pitchers.
“The league has adjusted to me, and I had to adapt as well,” he remarked. “I’ve worked on my swing a lot. These changes have been crucial, and now I feel like I’m ready to show who I really am as both a player and a person.”
Alvarez is fully focused on his future and intends to stay in the majors without returning to the minors.
“This is incredibly important for me,” he said. “It’s like tripping over a rock; you don’t want to stumble again. You just want to keep moving forward.”
