NY Mets send another slumping young star a wake-up call he needs to answer

There are all kinds of wake-up calls in baseball. Some come in the form of a closed-door meeting. Others arrive via a demotion to Triple-A. However, the New York Mets seem to prefer something more subtle but very direct. Think of it like a hotel wake-up call, but not the kind you ask for. This one’s set by Carlos Mendoza, and it’s not about convenience. One moment you’re settling in, the next you're being reminded that it’s time to get going. That’s the message behind Luis Torrens starting back-to-back games against the LA Dodgers. It’s the same approach they used with Brett Baty and Mark Vientos. It’s a call made to your room and it's one you don’t sleep through.

With the NY Mets pushing for wins, Torrens is forcing his way into the catching equation.

Torrens isn’t suddenly Johnny Bench, but he’s made his presence felt in a very real way. The veteran catcher is hitting .273 with a .779 OPS this season, but it’s his recent stretch in May that’s turned heads—8 hits and 7 walks in just 32 plate appearances, good for a .320 average and a .949 OPS. At a time when most Mets hitters have been searching for timely contact, Torrens has quietly delivered professional at-bats and helped lengthen the lineup.

His biggest impact, though, might be behind the plate. He’s thrown out 7 of 14 would-be base stealers, an impressive mark for a team whose pitchers struggled to control the run game in recent years. That area has improved in 2025, and Torrens has been a big reason why. And now, with back-to-back starts against the Dodgers, it’s clear Carlos Mendoza isn’t just hitting snooze on this performance.

Álvarez, meanwhile, has yet to find that rhythm. He’s hitting just .232 with a .625 OPS, and his May numbers (.250/.616) haven’t moved the needle much. The raw power is still there, but so is the swing-and-miss. His 29.5% strikeout rate is among the highest on the team, and his 15 punchouts this month have stalled any momentum. Defensively, he’s made clear strides, throwing out 6 of 19 runners and handling the staff with more confidence, but the bat hasn’t caught up. And when the offense is grinding, the Mets don’t seem willing to wait. Not when another catcher has picked up the phone and answered.

For the second time this season, the Mets are sending a clear message to one of their prized young hitters: potential alone won’t keep you in the lineup. Francisco Álvarez is now watching his starts go to a veteran who’s making the most of his chances. Even Mark Vientos, who stepped aside briefly when Baty heated up, had to prove he deserved the spotlight again. The Mets aren’t offering gentle nudges, they’re delivering wake-up calls that demand attention. And lately, the loudest alarm has come from behind the plate, where Torrens refuses to let the message go unanswered.