Inside The Mets

Mets' Luis Torrens sends honest message about being Francisco Alvarez replacement

New York Mets catcher Luis Torrens addressed being the team's new starter after Francisco Alvarez's injury.
Jun 5, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA;New York Mets catcher Luis Torrens (13) celebrates while rounding the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Washington Nationals during the sixth inning  at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Jun 5, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA;New York Mets catcher Luis Torrens (13) celebrates while rounding the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Washington Nationals during the sixth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

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The New York Mets' injury-plagued spring training continued on Sunday once it was announced that starting catcher Francisco Alvarez suffered a fractured hamate bone in his left hand, which will require surgery and keep him out for at least the next 6-8 weeks.

There's no doubt that this is a brutal blow for the Mets, as Alvarez has become an integral part of their team, both on and off the field. Luckily, Alvarez won't miss too much time, and could be back on the field by May.

But the Mets have an interesting decision to make while he's out. David Stearns suggested that while he's going to inquire across the league and gauge whether acquiring a potential replacement would make sense, he also added, "We feel good about the guys we have in camp."

Read more: Insider suggests Gold Glove winning catcher for Mets' Francisco Alvarez replacement

The one guy that the Mets have in camp right now is backup catcher Luis Torrens, who is definitely capable of handling starting catcher duties while Alvarez is out. And when speaking with the media on March 10, Torrens sent a clear message about the new situation he has found himself in.

"I'm going to take this as a huge responsibility," Torrens said of his new role in translated Spanish, per an X post from SNY. "Obviously, this team has high expectations... and I'm gonna try to do my job to keep the team playing at a high level."

Torrens is clearly taking this responsibility extremely seriously. And if the Mets do decide to stick with him as a backstop instead of adding someone else via trade or free agency, Torrens has an opportunity to make a massive impact on their early season success.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Mets and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.