Mets President officially announced Francisco Álvarez return in Flurry of Roster Moves
The New York Mets made a series of roster moves Thursday to pave the way for the return of catcher Francisco Álvarez, who has been activated from the injured list after missing more than two months with a torn ligament in his left thumb. Álvarez’s return is a significant boost to a Mets team that has shown signs of life in recent weeks and is looking to make a playoff push in the second half of the season.
Álvarez, 22, suffered the injury back in April during a home-plate collision and underwent surgery shortly thereafter. The promising young backstop has been on a minor-league rehab assignment over the last few weeks, gradually building up his workload behind the plate and at the plate. He looked sharp in his final rehab appearances, prompting the Mets to make the move just ahead of their weekend series.
In a corresponding set of moves, the Mets designated veteran catcher Tomás Nido for assignment and optioned backup Michael Pérez to Triple-A Syracuse. Nido, once a key piece of the Mets’ catching depth, struggled offensively this season and had become expendable with the emergence of Álvarez and the presence of Omar Narváez.
Álvarez is expected to immediately reclaim his role as the Mets’ primary catcher. Before his injury, he was slashing .236/.288/.364 with 3 home runs and 8 RBIs in 16 games. More importantly, his game-calling, framing, and chemistry with the pitching staff had begun to earn widespread praise from the Mets’ clubhouse.
Manager Carlos Mendoza expressed excitement about getting Álvarez back into the lineup.
“Francisco brings a ton of energy and talent,” Mendoza said. “He’s a difference-maker on both sides of the ball, and having him back is huge for us.”
The Mets currently sit in the middle of the NL Wild Card race and are hoping Álvarez’s return can help them make a strong second-half run. With key players like Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo producing offensively and the rotation finally finding consistency, the Mets’ front office is betting that Álvarez can provide a spark at just the right time.
The team will closely monitor his usage behind the plate, especially coming off thumb surgery, but make no mistake: Francisco Álvarez is back, and the Mets are all-in on what he can bring d
own the stretch.
