Mets Catcher Francisco Alvarez Scheduled to Take Batting Practice

The Mets' young catcher and future star is on pace to return in a month.

May 13, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets Catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) takes some rehab throws prior to the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets got a much-needed positive update on one of their key players.

Manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that the team's young star catcher, Francisco Alvarez, will begin taking batting practice at Citi Field during the Mets' next homestand, which begins on Friday against the San Francisco Giants. Alvarez is recovering from surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb, and is on pace to return in mid-to-late June. Beat writer Mike Puma of the New York Post was the first to report.

"[Alvarez] is doing a lot more nowadays," Mendoza said. "He's already catching, swinging the bat, hitting off the tee, hitting soft toss. He has the splint [on his thumb] that is helping... he's also scheduled to catch off a velo machine today, and will be taking BP on the field when we get back home over the weekend. So he's progressing well."

Francisco Alvarez is "progressing well" and is scheduled to take live BP with the Mets when they return home pic.twitter.com/VrD1UmsXdt

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 22, 2024

Alvarez's importance to the Mets can best be summarized by the team's struggles without him. Since his injury on April 20 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets have played in nine series and won just one of them. Even with Alvarez struggling at the plate to begin the year, hitting .236 with just one home run and a .652 OPS in 55 at-bats, the team has desperately missed his ability to handle the pitching staff, which has especially fallen on rough times with Omar Narvaez and Tomas Nido behind the dish.

The Mets already had to deal with two brutal injury updates this week, with Kodai Senga having a setback in his recovery and Brooks Raley undergoing season-ending surgery, so hearing good news on Alvarez is certainly a breath of fresh air.