TORONTO — Eddie Alvarez was on a bus with his Triple-A Red Sox teammates over the weekend when he found out they were in a pennant race.
The 34-year-old infielder, who cleared waivers and was traded to the Mets, was selected to the major league roster on Monday and arrived at Rogers Centre eager to assume his role as the team's additional position player for September.
Alvarez, who had not played in a major league game this season, replaced infielder Pablo Reyes, who was designated for release.
“I feel like this is the calling I was born to do,” Alvarez said before the Mets faced the Blue Jays. “I love this type of baseball. I've always thought of myself as a guy who could make the playoffs, be able to bunt and get guys out, hit and get runs and have good at-bats. It gives me confidence that this organization sees me as capable of playing in Triple-A, and I want to do everything I can to help this team as we go into this final stretch.”
Nerves shouldn't be an issue for the Miami native, who competed as part of the 5,000-meter short track speed skating relay team that won a silver medal for the United States at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
He was also part of the 2020 United States baseball team that won a silver medal at the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
Alvarez is one of only three U.S. athletes to win medals at both the Summer and Winter Olympics.
Jim Thorpe is the only athlete to play in the major leagues and win an Olympic medal in another sport.
“It's one of those stories that's so unique and I want to share it,” Alvarez said. “To me, the Olympic experience is something special and not many people get to experience that, so it's fun to share it with other athletes who wouldn't get to experience it.”
Alvarez, who played in the major leagues with the Marlins and Dodgers, said his career as a skater gave him the discipline he needed to get to this point in baseball.
Alvarez didn't make his major league debut until he was 30 years old.
“these [Olympic] “Athletes dedicate their whole life, their daily life, their social life, everything to this one opportunity,” Alvarez said, “and some don't get that chance. You have to be focused for a week to represent your country and win a medal, so it puts you in a high-stress situation, a high-impact situation. Translating that into baseball gave me the drive to keep going and made up for lost time.”
Alvarez appeared in 114 games for the Red Sox's Triple-A this season, posting an .811 OPS and 18 stolen bases.
He gives the Mets options at second base, shortstop, third base and the outfield.
The Mets need a versatile player after Jeff McNeil was placed on the disabled list Sunday with a fractured right wrist and will miss the remainder of the regular season.
“I feel I'm ready to take on this role, [Olympics] “My skating journey has enhanced my baseball career,” Alvarez said. “Without my skating journey, I probably wouldn't have made it this far.”
