Alvarez Heads Back to Triple-A

Sometimes you have to take a step back to move forward. That’s the case for young catcher Francisco Alvarez, who will be going back to Triple-A with the Syracuse Mets.

David Stearns, the Mets president of baseball operations, mentioned to reporters that this isn’t an unusual move for a player like Alvarez.

“This isn’t uncommon,” Stearns stated. “We felt this was the right time for him and the team.”

Alvarez has struggled to find his rhythm since suffering broken hamate bones back in March. This season, he’s played in 35 games, hitting just three home runs and driving in 11 runs. His slash line of .236/.319/.333 isn’t quite up to Major League standards, which is a concern.

Interestingly, his batting woes aren’t the only issue. His performance behind the plate has dropped significantly, especially in terms of framing pitches. In both 2023 and 2024, he ranked in the top 85% of all MLB catchers in framing metrics. This year, however, he’s had a framing runs total of minus four—the fourth worst in the league. It’s the first time his numbers have dipped into the negatives.

“There are definitely performance improvements needed on both sides of the game,” Stearns mentioned.

Stearns explained that Alvarez is expected to focus on certain goals during his time with Syracuse. While he didn’t get into specifics, he clarified that these goals wouldn’t be purely statistical.

“We want to see him return to the player he knows he can be,” Stearns added. “That’s who he is.”

As for when Alvarez might make his way back to the majors, Stearns was a bit vague, not providing a timeline. There’s also the possibility that if Alvarez spends 26 games in the minors, it could affect his free agency eligibility, possibly delaying it a year. This aspect will be important as they consider his eventual return to the major league squad.