New York Mets Skipper Gives Even More Disappointing Update on Catcher Francisco Alvarez

After signing Juan Soto this offseason, the New York Mets are supposed to be contending for a World Series. Thus far, all they've gotten is rotten injury news, with Francisco Alvarez being the latest.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) plays catch during a spring training workout at Clover Park on Feb. 17. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

UPDATE, Monday AM: Alvarez is expected to miss the full eight weeks, according to Mendoza's comments, which were put out by the New York Post.

Mendoza added that the expectation is Alvarez will need the full eight weeks because he is a catcher and the injury occurred on his glove hand.

By that timeline, Alvarez would return to the Mets lineup in early May.

SUNDAY, AM: The New York Mets provided devastating injury news on starting catcher Francisco Alvarez on Sunday, with Jeff Passan of ESPN saying he needs surgery on a broken left hamate bone.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez needs surgery to repair a fractured left hamate bone and will be out for six to eight weeks, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez needs surgery to repair a fractured left hamate bone and will be out for six to eight weeks, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 9, 2025

The 23-year-old Alvarez is one of the top young catchers in baseball and a key part of the Mets lineup. He battled injury last season but still managed to hit 11 homers in 308 at-bats. He also had 47 RBI as the Mets got all the way to the NLCS.

He burst onto the scene in 2023, hitting 25 homers and driving in 63 in 123 games. He will eventually pair with Pete Alonso, Juan Soto and Mark Vientos to make a solid middle-of-the-order in Queens.

After signing Soto and bringing back Alonso, the Mets are supposed to be World Series contenders, but so far, all they've had is rotten injury luck.

The team signed left-hander Sean Manaea to a multi-year deal in free agency, and they brought in veteran Frankie Montas, but both are slated to begin the year on the injured list as well.

If Alvarez's 6-8 week timeframe holds up, he'll likely be ready for baseball activity by mid-April, but then he'd need a ramp-up period and a rehab assignment, so it's certainly plausible that we don't see him in the lineup until at least early May.

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