LOS ANGELES — Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez has torn a ligament in his left thumb and will require surgery, manager Carlos Mendoza announced after the club's 6-4 win over the Dodgers on Saturday afternoon. .
Prior to the first pitch, the team placed Alvarez on the 10-day injured list on Saturday with a sprained left thumb, which he suffered while running the bases during Friday's 9-4 win over the Dodgers. . Alvarez underwent an MRI on Friday night and additional tests on Saturday morning.
The Mets have not disclosed how long Alvarez will recover from surgery, but Mendoza said he is confident Alvarez will continue to play this season.
To replace Alvarez on the active roster, the Mets promoted Tomas Nido from Triple-A Syracuse and also designated reliever Kolton Ingram to fill a 40-man roster spot.
Alvarez tripped on the basepaths at Dodger Stadium on Friday night and sprained his thumb when he placed his left hand on the ground to try to break his fall, causing it to bend backwards. He left the game after that inning, and Omar Narváez replaced him behind the plate.
“It's going to take a long time to take him out of the game,” Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor said. “As soon as he came out of the game, I could tell he was in extreme pain. I felt sorry for him. … I'm going to pray for him, and this clubhouse I know everyone in there will do the same.”
With Alvarez out for the time being, Narváez will be the regular catcher. Nido, who got off to a strong start with Syracuse batting .345 with one home run in nine games, should have plenty of time. Nido was scheduled to fly across the country from Charlotte on Saturday morning and arrive at Dodger Stadium in time for the ceremonial first pitch.
The Mets paid the price for regaining depth two years ago in the offseason, signing Narváez to a two-year, $15 million contract and guaranteeing Nido's final two years of arbitration for a total of $3.7 million. But neither boasts Alvarez's offensive upside. Alvarez hit .236/.288/.364 with one home run in what was technically still his first full-fledged major league season. Alvarez, 22, also adds great value behind the plate, ranking in the 92nd percentile in Statcast's catcher availability metric.
“Because that’s sad. [Alvarez] It’s a really important element for our team,” Narváez said. “We all know he's a tough kid and it's going to take a lot to take him out of the game. But things happen. You just have to play the game. Be ready. try to keep the team on the same level [until] He'll be back. ”
Alvarez has struggled with pain numerous times throughout his young season, but so far it hasn't cost him any significant time. Most recently, on Wednesday, Pirates catcher Henry Davis was upset when he took a swing and slammed it into his mitt, prompting a catcher interference call. Mendoza said the issue was unrelated to Friday's thumb injury.
“He's clearly frustrated and we're still waiting to see what the final diagnosis is,” the coach said. “But he'll get through it. He's a very positive, strong kid. He'll be fine.
“We don't know how long he'll be out, but we know how much energy he brings and the way he plays. But at the same time, we're very comfortable. As we always say, we know how much energy he brings and the way he plays. , the next person. This is an opportunity for Nido and Narváez to step up.”