Mets option Dario Alvarez to minor league camp

A day after acquiring two left-handers in separate trades, the Mets have optioned lefty reliever Dario Alvarez to minor league camp.

Alvarez, 26, had a very shaky start to the Spring but had been pitching better as of late.

Alvarez pitched just a handful of innings in Double-A Binghatmon last season after being promoted from High-A St. Lucie, and had a brief stint with the Mets.

Tuesday’s move was expected, with the Mets having intimated that the three lefties in the pen will be Rule 5 draftee Sean Gilmartin and the recently acquired Alex Torres and Jerry Blevins.

Thoughts:

Before the Mets swung trades for both Torres and Blevins, they sent Scott Rice to minor league camp, leaving them with just Gilmartin and Alvarez.

At that point, it appeared that Alvarez had an outside shot to stick, but the acquisitions of Torres and Blevins quickly put an end to that possibility.

According to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, Alvarez is expected to open the year with Triple-A Las Vegas. However, it would make sense for him to be in Double-A for two reasons.

For one, Alvarez has only pitched seven innings above High-A in his career.

Second, Triple-A Las Vegas is a place that can be hellish for pitchers, and is not where someone with as little experience as Alvarez should be dropped so soon.