Maybe the recent NY Mets lineups are a sign of a future roster change

Last weekend, the New York Mets gave Luis Torrens a two-year extension. One of the first thoughts: what does this mean for Francisco Alvarez?

Alvarez isn’t going anywhere just yet. However, recent Mets lineups point to the team’s firm belief they’re better off with Torrens behind the plate.

Torrens signed his extension on May 2 and they’ve already used Alvarez as a DH in three games versus only two behind the plate. The presence of MJ Melendez as an emergency option behind the plate helps mildly to save the club from losing the DH just as long as they don't have Melendez exit too soon. It was a possibility on Friday when Torrens had his helmet knocked off on a foul ball.

The bigger story is whether this continued faith and investment in Torrens is a true sign of the ball club having little patience with Alvarez.

Francisco Alvarez needs to go full bloom quickly to remain in the Mets’ plans

The power is there. It just comes and goes. Firing Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes didn’t turn him into the troll he can be. At the major league level, Alvarez often looks like the bottom-of-the-order bat the Mets have held him to.

In fairness, his numbers are best when hitting 8th or 9th. Heading into Friday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, he held a lifetime .869 OPS out of the number nine spot. It has gotten (mostly) worse as he ascends. We find .763 in the number eight spot, .714 when he hits seventh, and below .700 in all other spots with more than 3 plate appearances other than when he hit second. That .749 OPS out of the number two spot is a bit slanted as it comes with 5 home runs and a .200 batting average in 73 chances.

Alvarez is “fine” offensively if this is about what he’d be able to do. Anyone can appreciate a catcher who can pop a home run. At 24, the difficulty appears to be getting a big league performance behind the plate.

Back in 2023, pitchers raved about Alvarez’s work. Max Scherzer became a fan during a rehab assignment. He just hasn’t progressed a whole lot. He has led the league in passed balls twice and his 5 in 2026 is tops again. In only 26 starts, it’s alarmingly high. 

Alvarez will need to offer much more as a hitter to be plugged in as a DH. The Mets are using him this way simply because he’s one of their best hitters in comparison to a roster containing Austin Slater, Andy Ibanez, and Vidal Brujan.

There isn’t much to read into Alvarez’s offensive performance as a DH as he has gotten to swing at Coors Field and Chase Field against some hittable arms. This isn’t a move for his benefit, far more related to what he doesn’t give them as a defender behind the plate. The problem here is if he’s not catching enough, how will he ever fix the holes in his game? 

Torrens is one of the best defenders in baseball behind the plate. Alvarez is measurably on the opposite side. Frustrated fans would accept him getting traded this year in a fire sale or in the winter. All signs point to the front office feeling the same.

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