NY Mets News: Francisco Alvarez returns, Jorge Polanco expectations, cold Juan Soto

Opening up a new series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, the New York Mets returned home and laid an egg. A 7-0 loss is usually everyone’s fault. Freddy Peralta wasn’t good. The bats failed to show up. Momentum died early.

The idea of “there’s still time left to turn things around” remains a thought every fan should have. They are within striking distance of a Wild Card spot. The problem is when their ace gives up 6 runs in 6 innings and the bats don’t score a single run, you’re handing games you’ll regret later on.

It was a much busier day for the Mets than the performance on the field as we got several injury updates and a continued slump among other events.

Francisco Alvarez is back and didn’t pack the punch we wanted

Francisco Alvarez should be and was applauded for his quick return from the IL. An injury that was supposed to take 6-8 weeks only lasted 4. No one should be happier than Luis Torrens whose days off often turned into games where he was used late because Hayden Senger isn’t a big league hitter.

Upon his return, Alvarez was one of four Mets players to pick up a hit. A single out of the nine spot with one out in the third never amounted to anything because Carson Benge hit into an inning-ending double play.

Alvarez’s return remains a “what if” type of scenario as his presence buried in the nine spot can do little to alter the fate of the team. Marcus Semien, Brett Baty, and MJ Melendez all hit ahead of him in the lineup on Tuesday. All are below the Mendoza Line this month with Melendez under it now for the season. Even if all he does is hit ninth for the Mets, the power potential can help lengthen a Mets lineup that often looks three or four batters short of being competitive.

Jorge Polanco expectations have been set

What can we expect out of Jorge Polanco this year? Carlos Mendoza gave us a hint. At best this converted second baseman the Mets sold us could play some first base will be a DH option if he ever gets healthy enough.

It’s not the worst-case scenario as Jared Young is capable of playing first base regularly and Polanco’s defense remains a question regardless of health. This was a scenario the Mets probably secretly hoped would play out but in a different manner. Rather than Polanco getting relegated to DH duties due to injury, the rise of Mark Vientos as a legitimate Pete Alonso replacement as well as maybe Brett Baty could have worked.

Polanco ranked as my most frustrating Mets player of the year recently. This update only confirms it as he is one of the club’s biggest offseason additions to go M.I.A.

Juan Soto has cooled off considerably

Now 3 for 27 in June, Juan Soto is one of the coldest Mets players on the roster. He hasn’t been atrocious with some bad luck at-bats. However, when combined with the fact he didn’t run out a ball in Friday’s win over the San Diego Padres, we might want to start questioning if he’s not feeling 100%.

Without a doubt the most important player the Mets have, a monstrous May that included 10 home runs and 21 RBI while hitting .281/.369/.615 was never a sustainable pace. The Mets have run into some good pitching, Dustin May not being one of them.

Soto mustered a single against the Cardinals on Tuesday. Strangely, he hasn’t knocked a double since April 30th. All of his hits since have been singles or home runs. It’s a mini-slump right now for a guy the Mets are too dependent on to carry them.

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