Mets' Francisco Alvarez Out 6-8 Weeks with Broken Hamate Bone

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez will undergo surgery on a broken left hamate bone, sidelining him for six to eight weeks, manager Carlos Mendoza announced Sunday. This setback adds to the Mets' spring training injury woes. Alvarez, 23, was anticipated to be a key player in a highly anticipated season following the 15-year, $765 million signing of Juan Soto. Despite an impressive rookie season with 25 home runs in 2023, Alvarez's performance dipped last year, hitting only 11 homers while missing nearly eight weeks due to thumb surgery. "It's always tough when one of your guys goes down like that," Mendoza said. "But again, you've got to keep going. Nobody's going to feel sorry for us. Everybody deals with injuries. We'll get him back."
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Alvarez's surgery is scheduled for Monday, after he sustained the injury during live at-bats on Saturday. Hand injuries often diminish players' power, but Alvarez's defensive skills have kept him a consistent presence in the Mets' lineup when healthy. With Alvarez expected to hit behind a formidable lineup that includes Soto, Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, Mark Vientos, and Brandon Nimmo, his absence is a significant blow. In the meantime, veteran Luis Torrens will take over frontline catching duties. "It's a big blow when your starting catcher goes down," Mendoza said. "But guys will step up. Guys will get opportunities. We feel good with what we have in-house. Pretty sure David and the group will be looking for outside as well, as he always does. But you hate to see it." The Mets will need to rely on their depth and resilience as they navigate this challenging period.