11:09PM: Alvarez suffered the injury while taking a swing during live batting practice yesterday, Mendoza told the New York Post’s Mike Puma and other reporters. Mendoza expects Alvarez to miss the full eight weeks due to the added wear-and-tear that catching duties will place on his left hand.
9:52AM: Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez will undergo surgery to fix a fractured left hamate bone, manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters (including Newsday’s Tim Healey). Alvarez will miss the next 6-8 weeks recovering from the procedure.
It’s an unwelcome development for both Alvarez and the Mets, and it marks the second straight season that Alvarez has suffered an early-season injury to his left hand. Last April, Alvarez suffered a torn thumb ligament that required surgery, and he ended up missing a little over seven weeks’ time. He returned in mid-June and hit .237/.311/.411 with 10 home runs in 283 plate appearances over the rest of the regular season, but Alvarez struggled to a .577 OPS over 47 PA in the playoffs.
Considered one of the game’s top prospects during his time in New York’s farm system, Alvarez has posted almost exactly league-average production with a 99 wRC+ over his 779 career PA at the Major League level. These numbers are still quite respectable for a catcher that just turned 23 last November, plus Statcast has given his defense (particularly his framing) above-average grades, even though his blocking left a lot to be desired in 2024.
If Alvarez is going to make the jump from solid regular to star in 2025, it’ll now have to wait until at least the latter half of April. Hamate fractures or breaks are common enough that the 6-8 week timeline is more or less set in stone for most players, though naturally complications can arise when dealing with any hand-related injury. Such normal actions as gripping a bat could take a bit of re-familiarization, and Alvarez’s left hand will also be tested by regularly catching pitches.
With Alvarez sidelined, Luis Torrens now becomes the top catcher on the Mets’ depth chart. Acquired in a trade with the Yankees last May, Torrens hit .229/.292/.373 in 130 PA with the Mets last season, which roughly matches his career slash line over 937 PA and parts of seven big league seasons. Torrens did a great job of throwing out baserunners (would-be stealers were only 12-for-23 against him) last year but isn’t considered a great defensive catcher overall.
Torrens and Alvarez are the only catchers on New York’s 40-man roster, and Jakson Reetz’s eight career MLB games make him the only other backstop in the organization with any big league experience at all. It seems exceedingly likely that the Mets will now look to acquire another experienced catcher or two to compete for playing time over the remainder of Spring Training.
These new faces could come in the form of players cut from other teams’ spring camps, or perhaps a club could be already be looking to trade a non-roster invitee catcher if the club knows this player won’t be part of their Opening Day plans. Looking to the free agent market, former Mets catcher James McCann is unsigned and could be brought back as a familiar face. Yasmani Grandal is also a known quantity to David Stearns, as Grandal played for the Brewers in 2019 when Stearns was Milwaukee’s president of baseball operations.
Alvarez’s hamate fracture is the latest in a series of injuries to have already hit the Mets this spring. The rotation has been thinned out since Sean Manaea (oblique strain) and Frankie Montas (lat strain) will both start the season on the injured list, and backup infielder Nick Madrigal is expected to miss the entire season after undergoing shoulder surgery. While Alvarez’s injury is comparatively less serious, the lack of catching depth makes his absence a trickier roster hole to address.
An opportunity for someone.
That’s a big loss right? Isn’t he their starter? What now?
A big loss for a little while.
how are you on this page and unaware that he is just starting catcher?
Without using Google, can you name the starting catcher for every team?
What if they’d simply read this article above which mentions the fact?
@Braveslifer: Yes: bing.com/search?q=starting+catchers+for+each+mlb+t…
@Paleobros you might want to double check your source material, the starting catcher for Mariners is Cal Raleigh, yours says Alex Winkler. Another error is the Reds yours says
Keaton Manning vs Tyler Stephenson and has Salvador Perez playing for Tigers what is this…
I just wanted to make a silly joke and Bing the thing since he said “without Googling.”
Don’t explain this awesome joke. It was gold
Not everyone on here is a “metzfan.”
Scott
You don’t have to be metzfan to spend 120 seconds reading an article
As a braves fan, I agree
Yeah it’s not like there are any other guys named Alvarez in Baseball.
Thank you for the entertainment.
lol Uncle Mike this might help you identify which Alvarez it is:
“Francisco Alvarez Out 6-8 Weeks Due To Left Hamate Surgery”
I know many here comment without reading the articles but not reading the title?
Ouch that hurts. He’s very important behind the plate for them even if his bat didn’t bounce back
Big loss, Mets have all kinds of problems, primarily Juan Soto’s fat contract.
He’s not going to be the same this year. That’s his catching hand and guys never get their power back right away after those injuries.
Last yr after thumb surgery, went from 25 hrs to 11 so ye his power will be non existent after another hand injury. So much talent way too young to be hurt all the time
Mets now will be lucky to get third place.
Stop. They’ll be fine.
Didnt they get 3rd place last season?
3rd place is possible anyway, but Alvarez isn’t the difference maker.
It’s bigger than most would think. Pitchers love throwing to him. Their record without him vs. with him was considerably better last year. Plus, he has a lot of upside as a hitter and most expected a big step forward this year. It’s a significant blow, but if he can be back by Memorial Day in decent shape, they should be okay long term.
Exactly.
Third place… probably. But likely still a wild card spot.
Unless they make a trade for significant pitching upgrades to the rotation, they are.going to finish 3rd. And that’s before the unfortunate Alvarez injury
same could be said for the braves catcher, potentially the outfield, and probably their starting staff as before last season only one pitcher of their projected starter for opening day pitched 100 innings in a season this decade and he has not pitched a major league inning since 2022. .Also the current ace is injury prone and is turning 36..
Does this mean the Marlins and the Nationals going to be the top teams in the NL east after the phillies?
I think a couple of the braves will bounce back to have good years, namely olson and riley. Sale likely wont pitch the whole year just based on history. Rest of the staff has question marks. Albies has always been up and down. Can ozuna have a third straight good year at his age? Never has before. And acuna i wouldn’t expect top level production at all off the injury.
Yup, Never. You’re right. Season is over.
Torrens is better anyways
That was a pretty nice trade, getting him for close to nothing from the Yankees.
Ha! That made me giggle. Torrens got hot last year and then just kinda was average. If he is average again that will be a bonus. I say see what Parada can do. Can’t sign anyone because then you are stuck with them come June and Alvarez back. Stay in system or sign a minor league guy and ride torrens through it. Or like I said, see what Parada can do. Maybe surprise a little early on.
findingnimmo. findingParada?
I would rather have Senger catching than Parada.
Major League..Fan. Well, ok. Senger would be a better option than Parada. But let’s face it… there’s a reason the Mets signed Jakson Reetz and Chris WIlliams in the offseason.
findingnimmo: Yeah, let’s just spit out a name just because we heard something good about him three years ago. Parada has struggled at double-A, and his defense is said to be improved but still sub-par. No basis for calling him up now. moreover, you’d be wasting an option on him this year upon Alvarez’ return, thus risking having him run out of options before he is major league ready.
Yes, they can sign someone. Who is it that you think they’d get at this time of year that is so valuable that you would have to be “stuck with” him, rather than just cut him?
That said, they’re probably just as well giving a chance to one of the two triple-A catchers they signed in the off-season. Both have hit well at AAA, both are in their late 20’s. This is the reason they were signed.
Parada is flatlining.
He’s not on the org top 30 anymore.
Was hoping for better
Disappointing to say the least. Injuries seem to find this young player quite a bit
The Phillies better bubble wrap Realmuto. Looks like everyone’s catchers in the NLE are getting sidelined for April.
How did it happen?
Did no one think to include that?
It’s in the article.
It wasn’t in the original but was included in the update
Speedy recovery!
“Per Mendoza, Alvarez suffered the fracture on Saturday during live at-bats. He felt something in his hand after his second at-bat and was sent for X-Rays by the Mets team trainer which showed the injury. Alvarez is scheduled to undergo surgery on Monday.”
Pleas, not McCann 2.0.
Yeah, let’s do Tomas Nido 4.0.
Really hoping for the rebirth of Jose Lobaton.
Kevin Plawecki is still available if you can coax him back onto the field. ( uh, just following the Jose Loboton comment with more possible but not probable sarcasm.)
McCann was a very nice second catcher for Baltimore and the Mets seemingly would not need him to be the best catcher in the league. They just need him to be serviceable, league average until Alvarez gets healthy and ready. Guaranteed you can’t find another player with the toughness and heart McCann would bring to the clubhouse – that’s the type of tangible that goes a long way and can help build extremely strong chemistry and a certain level of accountability that can reap benefits in a dog fight for the division, which is exactly what the Mets will find themselves in.
Hamate injuries can sap your strength for months. I hope he has a speedy and full rcovery.
I thought Grandal was at least decent for Pirates last year. Certainly not someone to count on taking the majority of starts behind the plate for a couple months, but definitely not a bad backup Catcher.
Panic City is Back!
Mets should offer Mauricio for Caratini from Astros.
Uh….No…
why sign… there are catchers in the minors. let them get a 6-8 week chance. let the kids play
The Tigers will trade Nido back to you…for Baty or Mauricio 😉 Back to reality…no way they are going to run Torrens out there every day. Wonder who they will go get?
Mets need to trade for SP, starting C, OF & backup utility MI right now or they will have wasted a year of prime Soto & Lindor.
That’s exactly what they shouldn’t do.
I seriously hope you don’t operate a business.
So Panic City?
6-8 weeks starting now, before the season starts. They can use their backup and a minor league catcher in the interem. They’re fine.
Hamate injuries can really hurt your power for years. He could be back after six weeks but who knows if he will hit for power the rest of the season.
He didn’t hit well last season anyway.
VonPurpleHayes,
Alvarez missed time last season due to a thumb injury around 1B running the bases and his production diminished upon return. Now he injured himself taking batting practice to his catching hand.
His production will take a hit once again. Mets minor league catcher is Parada who has underwhelmed. They have a problem and maybe need to acquire Grandal at this time would be my solution.
Bob “Mets minor league catcher is Parada who has underwhelmed”
He is not the next up, he’s not even in the top 5 catching prospects we have currently. He hasn’t produced at AA offensively or defensively and we’ve drafted several catchers since realizing that.
He’s not the next on the depth chart either, Jackson Reetz or more likely Chris Williams will be up for the handful a starts. No reason to make a trade when we’re talking about a few starts.
If the Mets need all that and they already have $300m+ on the payroll what the hell is the GM doing???
The Mets roster is top heavy with the payroll. Not a sustainable distribution. 2 of their SPs are down, Senga didn’t pitch last season and was injured, Peterson seems to have found it, Holmes was a RP, Butto was moved to RP, Blackburn, Megill & Canning good luck with them.
Nimmo and Marte have been injured all Spring. Oh and Madrigal their Util MI injured his shoulder in his first inning of ST and is lost for the Season.
Madrigal wasn’t even guaranteed to make the team. Megill is a 4th pitcher for a few weeks until Manaea comes back. Canning is probably a swingman/longman/mop up, no reason to get worked up about that. Holmes looks great so far so no reason to be so negative about that. Senga is fine.
Relax stop being so dramatic.
Madrigal is on the Mets 40 Man Roster and has been placed on the 60 day IL. Acuna is the only other capable SS who is ML ready but he needs playing time and isn’t best used in a bench role. Of course the Mets should have brought back Igesias OMG but he has recently been signed by the Padres.
The two catchers you mentioned I am not familiar with and they aren’t on the 40 Man. I am familiar with both Alvarez and Parada who were much hyped as Mets future catching prospects.
Parada hasn’t been “hyped” for years. Mets signed 2 overdraft international catchers from Venezuela and got 1 from the David Robertson trade that are all above Parada on the catcher prospect potential tier list.
Hayden Senger is a stellar defensive catcher… Like platinum glove in MiLB last year, he’s more than enough to get us through Alvarez’s injury. Chris Williams has a bit more upside with the bat but nothing to get excited about.
Lindor plays 155 games a year. There were like 45 innings in all of 2024 that weren’t played by Francisco Lindor, not sure that is a big enough need where you’d deprive Acuna of the experience he drastically needs in the minors in 2025. He’s just not major league ready yet.
We have 3 guys we can slide into short to rest Lindor every so often.
@ PiazzaP Those other catchers might be rated higher on some prospect lists (which, by the way, are intende to evaluate talent and ceilings, not project how they will end up). but they’re also mostly inthe lowest levels right now and won’t be answer to anything anytime soon.
Not seeing the three guys who can slide in at short. McNeil and Baty are only emergency shortstops at best, and not even good enough for that, IMO. De Los Santos and Walton are not major leaguers. And Mauricio still has not played a spring game.
Yes, the way Lindor has played the past two years, a back-up SS is less of a need for this team than for most. But given the length of Lindor’s contract, it would be wise to scale him back and have him play 150 – 155 games instead of 160. Especially if they expect to extend their season with playoffs and add even more wear and tear on him.
Geofft
“Those other catchers might be rated higher on some prospect lists … but they’re also mostly inthe lowest levels right now and won’t be answer to anything anytime soon.”
Yeah I know that. I was saying he’s been surpassed by more recent draft pics and IFAs.
“which, by the way, are intende to evaluate talent and ceilings, not project how they will end up”
Thanks for explaining how prospects work.
“Not seeing the three guys who can slide in at short. McNeil and Baty are only emergency shortstops at best”
I made it clear we would only require a SS for emergency situations and for blowouts like if we’re up 8 runs in the 6th inning they can come in and get Lindor off his feet. Vientos, Baty and McNeil are all more than capable of that.
Why would you need De Los Santos or Walton to be up with the club just to play 15-50 innings?
Give a defense first , younger player a chance. How’s Kevin Parada by the way .
He strikes out a ton and underperformed in AA so anybody thinking he’s ready to be an everyday catcher skipping AAA are delusional. I could be wrong. Torrens performed well for them last year and always viewed him as a solid back up going into the offseason. It’s unfortunate but hopefully this is a blessing in disguise where Alvarez will have to produce through quality at bats and finding holes in the field rather than swing for the fences. The Mets do win when he is on the field so it is unfortunate.
Who is left on the market younger than yasmani grandal and James McCann? Anyone want Tomas nido back if he opts out of his minors contract with the tigers ?
Alvarez has already spent the better part of two full seasons in the Majors and though he is only 23, I’m not seeing how he’s improved since his debut.
When he’s ‘on’ and presumably healthy-he can be the heart of the team.
More often than not, he goes through lapses where fundamentals are non-existent. He can look painfully off-balance at the plate, wild swings, non-competitive quick at bats. Defensively, balls will get by him. I get he is only 23 and still very raw, but I question the effectiveness of Mets coaching staff on him until this point. He has always ‘clicked’ with pitching staff and this dates back to the minors.
He can be a major asset in Queens, with tools to be a top 5 catcher in the league, if only he can refine the mental part of his game, settle his emotions, learn to play smarter, and avoid injuries.
If DD called Stearns and said, “hey Taijuan’s looked real good this spring but we don’t have a spot for him. Sorry about Alvarez, we’ll give you Marchan if you take Taijuan. Your down a SP anyway and we’ll take back Marte, we heard he’s pissed (in the back of his mind thinking about Marte’s career .400 average at the Bank). But you gotta give us Max Kranick or Reed Garrett. The salaries just about equal out.
Does Stearns entertainment this, all kidding aside?
0.0% chance.
I wouldn’t make that trade for either team. Walker’s velocity is back up in Spring Training. Marchan is much needed at JT’s age. Marte looks cooked. Mets wouldn’t give up multiple players for either.
Some absolutely bananas takes on here. Alvarez has all the promise in the world. But his actual contribution to the 2024 NYM wild ride season wasn’t his bat. His bat was mostly nonexistent last year.
Let’s keep this in perspective: the Mets survived and bounced back from an Alvarez injury of similar time frame last year with the likes of Narvaez and Nido getting most of the playing time, with Torrens arriving for a few games at the tail end of Alvarez’ IL stint. This year Torrens is here from the jump, and he’s a big upgrade over Narvaez and Nido.
Imagine some alternate offseason where d’Arnaud remained unsigned and returned as the prodigal son in the hour of need.
At least 2 1/2 weeks of that 6-8 weeks is still pre-season , just bring up Parada instead of signing a catcher that will be a 3rd stringer when Alvarez comes back.
Why Kevin Parada? Sorry to be harsh. But from where does such an uninformed opinion come? Parada is still a subpar defensive catcher and had an OPS of just .661 in DOUBLE-a last year. Why call him up ahead of their three TRIPLE-a catchers?
Parada caught only 70 games last year. So he is in no way prepared to catch every day, and having him ride the bench as a back-up would be wasting time he can spend developing in the minors.
The fact that the Mets went out and signed or re-signed THREE triple-A catchers is a pretty strong indication that do not believe Parada is even ready for that level yet, let alone the majors.
Given where Parada is in his progression, he could still be more than two years away from sticking as a major leaguer. So calling him up now (and then optioning him when Alvarez returns) means using – wasting – not one, but two of his three minor league options early (now and next spring), thus running the risk of running out of options before he is ready.
He is gaining the rep of being made of glass as a catcher
Maybe his hands are not made for that of a catcher.
Interesting reading about the injury:
December 29th, 2013 at 6:00 am
thinkbluela.com/2013/12/hamate-bone-injury-what-is…
“Excellent piece on hamate injuries and thanks for the mention. There is indicative data that suggests the long-term effects of the broken hamate injury may extend well beyond time off the field. When the hamate is excised, the grip structures of the base hand are compromised, giving batters less grip strength and perhaps a gradual decline in batting performance. ”
Batting, catching or sliding…
Search bat knob and thumb cushion protection…
Yes, hamate injuries can indeed affect a batter’s hitting performance even after the injury has supposedly healed. The hamate bone, located in the wrist, is particularly significant for baseball players because it plays a key role in grip strength and wrist mobility—both critical for swinging a bat effectively.
When a hamate bone is fractured (often from repetitive stress or a direct impact, like hitting a pitch), treatment typically involves either immobilization or surgical removal of the fractured hook of the hamate. While healing can occur structurally—meaning the bone mends or the surgical site stabilizes—several factors can lead to lingering effects on hitting:
1. **Grip Strength Reduction**: The hamate contributes to the stability of the hand’s grip. Even after healing, scar tissue, altered mechanics, or nerve irritation (e.g., to the nearby ulnar nerve) can weaken grip strength, reducing the power a batter can generate.
2. **Wrist Mobility**: Post-injury stiffness or discomfort can limit wrist flexion or extension, subtly altering swing mechanics. A batter might unconsciously compensate, leading to less bat speed or poor contact consistency.
3. **Pain or Sensitivity**: Some players report residual pain or sensitivity when swinging, especially on inside pitches or when the bat vibrates (e.g., hitting off the end of the bat). This can cause hesitation or a less aggressive swing.
4. **Psychological Impact**: Even if physically healed, the memory of pain might make a batter tentative, affecting timing or confidence at the plate.
Studies and player anecdotes support this. For example, research on professional baseball players with hamate fractures shows that while many return to play, some experience a measurable dip in batting stats—like slugging percentage or exit velocity—post-injury. A 2019 study in the *American Journal of Sports Medicine* found that hitters who underwent hamate hook excision returned to play within 6-8 weeks on average, but their power metrics often took longer to normalize, if they did at all. Players like Dustin Pedroia and Giancarlo Stanton have openly discussed how hamate injuries affected their swing feel long-term.
That said, outcomes vary. Some players adapt and regain full form, while others struggle with subtle, persistent issues. Factors like rehab quality, injury severity, and individual biomechanics play a role. If you’re thinking of a specific player, I could dig into their case with more detail if you’d like!
Sorry all – this is from AI (GROK)
Freddie Freeman broke his hamate in 2017, and he recovered ok. Hopefully Alvarez does too.
Well… thanks for the optimism But Freddie Freeman at 23 was already a substantially, dramatically more advanced and fundamentally sound hitter than Alvarez is. Freeman at 27? So many levels above Alvarez that the comparison is practically meaningless.
He’s not comparing the players, he’s comparing the injuries.
I’ve been out of the loop recently, but is Tomas Nico available? I think he was with the Cubs but don’t know if he’s available, but he always gave 120% as a backup. I don’t know if Stearns would be interested.
That’s Nido
Not sure what makes you think Nido would be any better than any of the three triple-A catchers they have in camp. He’s gotten progressively worse over the past two years and was absolutely terrible last year.
Why do you need to go to a proven liability when you can experiment with one of their three triple-A catchers? Senger is stellar defensively. Williams has shown very good HR power in AAA.. And Reetz (who is struggling in ST) has a good hitting record in AAA as well and may be a better defender than Williams. One of them might prove to be a legitimate third (or quad-A) catcher. They’re all 27, 28, and would have minor league options remaining. So once Alvarez comes back, the Mets can option the guy down and hold him on the 40-man roster for several years. Catchers get injured pretty often, so there will be a need for him again. And he might be ready/able to step in as Alvarez’ back-up when Torrens leaves for free agency after 2026.
It’s with some relief that I’ve been noticing since Stearns arrived the ages of many of the fringe players the Mets have brought on board.
Instead of the 30 and over crowd in hopes of milking a few replacement level at bats from them (at one point during the 2010s the Mets had what I believe was the oldest AAA roster in decades) Stearns looks for players still in their 20s, even late 20s—players who might have a little upside left or who might still benefit from trying a different stance or pitch or pitch mix.
Nido hasn’t been as good as replacement level since 2022, at age 28. Most marginal players last as long as their reflexes do, and peak on average at 26 or 27, when their physical decline is no longer offset by an increasing baseball education and their modest abilities collapse.
This is more a job share than it is a backup slot that the Mets are looking to fill. Torrens at 29 is not a guy you want to run out there 3 games of 4, or even 2 of 3, particularly with his platoon splits (career .OPS under 600 v RHP and over 720 v LHP).
I would still go with Nido considering his defense and framing and not count on 3 catchers in camp; 2 who have never seen the majors and one has what 10 ABs?
He will be cheap and knows the organization and still has the fire to play.
There is still something to calling a game!
Look around at most back up catchers; a lot hitting under the Mendoza line. Pun intended as I am not sold on the manager either; lucked into a hot streak and a bunch of arms looking toward FA and the money they could get
Catchers in the minors who can hit are switched to position players and leave catching behind. This has happened for the past 10 years and it flat sucks because now we have a gap in quality catchers. Next they will DH that position too.
Jesus Montero
How has Joe Bart looked in Spring training?
The big problem is as soon as any farm system sees a catcher can hit they immediately turn them into outfielders and move them up. We are so short on quality catchers who can hit at a high level they chirp about DHing the position. It’s a travesty they brought on themselves. One catcher goes burp and there’s 3 meh guys behind him and we are back to square one with the 9 hole guy again.
Mets should try to trade for Joe Bart in Pittsburgh I think Vogelbach is in the hitting coach group there. Seems to be making headway this year.
Very talented young catcher. Hoping he makes a full recovery. Injuiries happen, but now gives Torrens some runway for an opportunity. Jackson Reetz should start the season on Active Roster to start. Maybe a vet like Grandal or McCann comes in, which would essentially be an audition for Alvarez’s backup once he returns in late May/early June..
Have to wonder if Kevin Parada can have a resurgent year at Double A & make a push at a roster spot come September
Torrens sucks: he is not even an MLB backup let alone a starter.
Just grounded into a double play with the bases loaded!
Mets are in BIG trouble if they are going to let this turd catch!
Why the Mets ever thought he was good?
Probably because he was in the minors with the Yankees; any Yankee castaway is viewed good by Mets management.