The Francisco Alvarez effect is real.
The Mets are 29-13 in games with the precocious young catcher and 17-32 in games without him.
Certainly, his offensive improvement has been noticeable: His .852 OPS entering Wednesday’s game was third-best among catchers with at least 100 plate appearances.
But Alvarez’s impact on the pitching staff has been almost equally noticeable.
Consider the fact that while Alvarez was crouching behind home plate, the Mets’ pitchers posted a 3.25 ERA against the Nationals at Citi Field and the Mets won, 6-2.
The Mets’ team ERA was one run higher at 4.25 entering the game, but only four primary catchers in the entire MLB had a better ERA than Alvarez (Atlanta’s Sean Murphy at 2.55, Philadelphia’s J.T. Realmuto at 2.86, Boston’s Reese McGwire at 3.01 and Seattle’s Cal Lowry at 3.25).
It’s not just that the 22-year-old is developing into a star with the bat.
The energetic second-year player has emerged as a defensive decision-maker at the game’s most demanding position while playing with a mostly veteran staff.
“Albie is amazing,” Jose Quintana said after teaming up with Alvarez for Tuesday’s win. “I love the kid.”
Quintana’s ERA when pitching against Alvarez: 1.76.
Quintana’s ERA when pitching to other pitchers: 5.86.
He’s not alone. Sean Manaea has a 1.33 ERA when pitching against Alvarez. Manaea has a 5.17 ERA when pitching against other pitchers.
Manaea noted Alvarez’s boisterous personality is a trait that sets him apart from other fighters.
“He’s very outgoing and outspoken and has leadership qualities,” said Manaea, a nine-year veteran. “He’s very young, but you can sense that he’s very confident in his job. [preparation].
“I see no reason not to trust him.”
Adrian Hauser’s ERA with Alvarez is 2.50. When Hauser teams with other pitchers, his ERA is 6.89.
After just a few appearances in spring training, the first-year Mets pitcher found himself enjoying working with Alvarez, who helped limit Luis Severino to just two runs over 6 1/3 innings in Wednesday’s win.
“After we talked a little bit, I said, ‘Hey, I like this kind of pitching, I like this kind of attack,'” Hauser said of his early discussions with Alvarez. “And after a couple of appearances, it was pretty easy: ‘Hey, I like the way you throw that pitch.'”
“We quickly became like-minded.”
There have been no complaints about Alvarez’s preparation work or his knowledge of the pitchers and opposing batters he will be catching.
But the most notable aspect of his defensive game is the element of how he catches the ball.
In especially important moments or when a pitcher begins to tire, Alvarez seems to be commanding his partner to cross the finish line.
He dramatically swings his glove upwards when he wants to encourage the pitcher to pitch at the top of the zone.
He’ll pound the dirt, demanding that his curveball bounce.
Team staff members, with tired arms and occasional energy saps, are grateful for the encouragement from a catcher who never seems to run out of energy.
“He really wants this pitch to be good,” Hauser said. “I think that helps him a lot. He’s really working hard on this pitch.”
“When I see him say, ‘Throw it,’ it reaffirms the fact that I’m getting my fastball up,” Manaea said. “… It helps to have that visual feedback.”
“And then he threw a good pitch and [fist pumps].”
There are more tangible ways Alvarez helps pitchers, like a strong arm that can sometimes make up for pitchers struggling to keep runners in check and a constant eye on the pitching clock.
Over the past two seasons, Alvarez repeatedly traded mound visits for pitch-clock violations, jumping out of a crouch and sprinting to the mound when he realized the pitcher wasn’t going to throw the ball on time.
“He’s definitely biding his time,” Manaea said.
The Mets’ pitching staff has also been performing at its best since Alvarez returned from a thumb injury on June 11.
“He’s always learning,” Hauser said, “and always wanting to learn more.”
