Francisco Alvarez’s Comeback Attempt Continues
With just two fingers to work with, Francisco Alvarez is pushing forward in his recovery, almost defying reason.
The young catcher made his way back to the lineup at Triple-A Syracuse as a designated hitter on Saturday, but ended the game with 0-4 and three strikeouts. This left him struggling to progress after a recent setback due to a broken pinky.
On Wednesday, during his first game with Syracuse, he attempted to demonstrate his ability to manage the UCL strain in his right thumb, which actually requires surgery.
After a brief return to Queens, a doctor cleared him on Thursday. This was a positive sign, allowing him to resume working through the pain. Soon enough, he was back in the batting cage and behind the plate.
Friday brought some hope as he showed impressive skills during batting practice and caught a bullpen session. Mendoza remarked that Alvarez seemed “fine” while catching, though both his broken pinky and injured thumb posed challenges. He mentioned the possibility of playing for Syracuse on Sunday.
“We’re just waiting to see how he handles it,” Mendoza added, keeping the outlook somewhat open-ended.
There’s not really a clear timetable yet for when Alvarez will be back as a viable option for the team.
Earlier that day, Chris Devensky stepped in to save David Peterson, pitching three scoreless innings without allowing a hit.
The Mets made moves after the game, designating Jose Castillo for the third time this season to make room for Devensky.
In a recent game, the Mets faced off against the Marlins, losing 11-8. Francis Colindore made a notable impact, hitting his ninth leadoff home run of the season.
Against Miami’s Edward Cabrera, Mendoza noticed his team struggled as they navigated the field. After looking to Cedric Marine for support in center field, he opted to go with Tyrone Taylor instead.
Mullins went 4-4 during the game, contributing with strikeouts, walks, and managing to steal two bases, ultimately helping Brett Batty score from three bases.
Taylor, who had been absent for most of the season, has shown improvement, going 21-10 with four doubles in his last seven games.
