3 immediate thoughts after the NY Mets contract extension with Luis Torrens

The New York Mets don’t extend players early all that often, but made an exception with backup catcher Luis Torrens. A two-year extension to keep the gunslinging backstop in Queens beyond 2026, they’re rewarding him for his fine defense and occasional clutch hitting.

In his brief time with the Mets, Torrens has been a superb defender with Gold Glove-caliber abilities behind the plate. He even finished last year as a finalist for the award and would probably have a realistic shot if he was a starter in the league.

Getting ahead of things and extending him was a wise move for a Mets team. What does it mean for him, the rest of the team, and some of their other catchers?

What to make of the Luis Torrens contract extension

1) This extension is different than the last one with a backup catcher

It’s not a unique situation to extend a backup catcher. The Mets did it with Tomas Nido after the 2022 season. Much cheaper at $3.7 million over two years, it didn’t work out well at all. Nido hit .125 in limited action in 2023 and was eventually released in 2024 with a better yet unsatisfactory .229 batting average. He was, ironically, replaced on the roster by Torrens who has been a far better player.

While that one didn’t work out so well, it didn’t stop the Mets from investing in Torrens. A good backup catcher isn’t easy to find. But will he actually remain a backup?

2) Could this possibly put Francisco Alvarez on notice?

Francisco Alvarez is in his first year of arbitration eligibility so he’s still not making a lot of money. If his recent performance is any indication, his contract isn’t about to get much pricier. The young catcher has shown flashes of excellence at the plate with continued questions behind it. There’s no doubt the Mets are a better team with Torrens behind the plate. Could this be a step toward Alvarez being a part of the next major roster turnover?

Alvarez has minor league options remaining and years of control before free agency. This doesn’t mean the Mets should or will give him continual chances. Alvarez is a trade candidate in a scenario where the Mets undergo massive changes yet again. The Torrens signing, however, doesn’t indicate any willingness to turn the page on a once-budding-star who hasn’t gone into full bloom.

3) Hayden Senger hasn’t convinced anyone he’s more than third-string

Hayden Senger was a good story making the Mets roster out of camp last year. He even got a brief chance with the Mets this year, watching games from the bench for a few days. Noted for his defensive abilities, the Torrens extension further cements his place as the team’s third-string catcher.

Already 29 with a .220 batting average in Triple-A this season after a strong start, Senger is pretty much a clone of Nido. He can call a good game. He might even throw out a few base runners. If you had to draw up what a third-string catcher was, you’d grab a pen and ask Senger to pose for the sketch. He hasn’t done enough to convince the Mets otherwise.

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