The New York Mets rookie catcher, Francisco Alvarez, has shown the fans that he belongs, more so he has impressed the pitching staff with his game calling and defense behind the plate. But what has caught everyone’s attention lately, has been his hot bat.
Alvarez made his 2023 debut on April 9th and after a 1 for 4 day, he went hitless the next three games spanning 11 at bats. He would finish the month of April, hitting safely in five of the last seven games he appeared in.
The Venezuelan native began the month of May hitting safely in three of the first five games, before a historic game on May 9th, where he recorded his first two-homer MLB game.
From May 17 to May 28th, the young catcher went on a hitting tear, as he recorded a hit in eight straight games, launching five home runs, while driving in 13 runs. On May 27-28, he had back to back games with a three-run home run in each.
During Alvarez’s streak, the Mets nearly turned their sinking ship around by taking two out of three from the Red Hot Tampa Bay Rays, swept the Cleveland Guardians, while going 7-4 in the stretch.
For the Mets, the offense finally started to click with timely big hits led by Alvarez as their spark plug. On the season, Alvarez is batting .259, with six doubles, eight home runs, 19 RBIs and seven walks through 34 games.
Now all the Mets need is to get their pitching back and healthy and throwing better and that responsibility may lie on Alvarez’s shoulders, and but we all know he can handle it as do the Mets. The organization proved that they have the confidence that Alvarez’s is the man behind the plate and needed in the line-up, as they very quickly ended the Gary Sanchez experiment after Tomas Nido‘s return.
The Mets pitching staff has been raving about the young rookies ability to call a game and his defense and it only helps that he is raking the ball.
Francisco Alvarez has been everything the Mets hoped he would be, but as a fan, he is just so much more. The future looks very bright behind the plate for New York.
