Could Mets' Francisco Alvarez benefit from a reset at Syracuse?

Mets' catcher Francisco Alvarez has been struggling for a while, and a reset at Triple-A Syracuse could be beneficial for him in the long run.

Jun 17, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) walks against the Atlanta Braves in the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The New York Mets are in the midst of a four-game losing skid that has raised attention to some of their biggest issues.

While the team's pitching depth has been tested due to injuries, a bigger issue may be the current struggles that catcher Francisco Alvarez is experiencing. Alvarez started his season late due to an injury in spring training and hasn't really produced much since he returned in late April, hitting .235 with just five extra base hits and 10 RBI in 115 at-bats.

While the lack of production is an issue, a bigger concern may be that Alvarez appears to be taking his struggles at the plate into the field with him, when he made a few costly mistakes late in the game that helped the Atlanta Braves come back and steal a game the Mets really needed.

Francisco Alvarez said he changed the pitch call to a splitter on Marcell Ozuna's game-tying double after Reed Garrett called for a fastball

"I think he was right. I think I made a mistake in that situation. I feel very bad for that" pic.twitter.com/vapsjc1iRi

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 18, 2025

Alvarez changed a pitch call from Reed Garrett in the eighth inning on what ended up being a game-tying double to Marcell Ozuna. Things got worse in the tenth when Alvarez threw behind the ghost runner that was in no-man's land between second and third, allowing the Braves to set up a game-winning sacrifice fly in short order.

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Alvarez took responsibility for his defensive mistakes after the game and manager Carlos Mendoza defended Alvarez's decision to throw behind the runner in the tenth, noting it was a reaction most catchers would have in that situation. The concern the Mets face now, however, is wondering whether Alvarez is regressing defensively because he is thinking too much about what is going wrong for him at the plate.

"That's your reaction there"

Carlos Mendoza talks about Francisco Alvarez throwing down to second base in the 10th inning when Luke Williams was stuck between second and third pic.twitter.com/iwzgYIWmUp

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 18, 2025

While there is no question that Alvarez is a hard worker who has the respect of his teammates, it is important to remember he is only 23 years old and making big swing adjustments against major league pitching is a difficult ask. Doing that in the pressure cooker of New York City can be quite challenging, so it could benefit Alvarez to go down to Triple-A Syracuse to work on his swing adjustments in a less pressurized environment.

The Mets have gotten good production from Luis Torrens when he has played this season and he can carry the club for a short time, but the best option behind the plate in the long run is Alvarez. Getting Alvarez back to a place where he can be a dynamic threat both behind the plate and in the batter's box is important, and seeing him continue to struggle at the major league level may be counterproductive to that goal.

No one would say that a trip back to Triple-A is a sign that Alvarez will be a bust. Plenty of young players have needed a trip back to the minors before having more success at the big league level, which the Mets saw first hand with Mark Vientos last season. Alvarez still is an important part of the Mets' future, but a return to Syracuse may be the best way to help him get back on track.