Francisco Alvarez’s return to the big leagues will likely be slightly delayed as he is heading to Venezuela for a family matter, MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo reported. The catcher, who is in the middle of a rehab assignment, has been out since April with a torn ligament in his thumb and was expected to return to the Mets’ lineup early next week when the team returns from London.
Francisco Alvarez, Photo by Bronson Harris of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies
Alvarez, who was hitting .236/.288/.364 in 59 plate appearances before landing on the IL, caught a combined no-hitter at Single-A Brooklyn on Tuesday.
Per Mike Puma of the New York Post, Kodai Senga is expected to throw a bullpen early next week after his own rehab hit a couple snags over the past handful of weeks. Senga, who went down with a shoulder strain during spring training, still has no concrete timetable for his return, though the Mets believe he is headed on the right track.
Edwin Díaz, who pitched a scoreless inning at Brooklyn on Thursday, is still on track with his rehab from a shoulder impingement that landed him on the 15-day IL. He is scheduled to pitch again on Sunday for the Cyclones, DiComo reported.
The Mets also announced that Brett Baty, sent down to Triple-A Syracuse last week, will be the 27th man on the roster for the London Series, which begins Saturday. Puma also reported that Baty was told he would take reps at second base upon being demoted, though that opportunity has yet to come to fruition despite Baty’s willingness to do so.
The 24-year-old has recorded two Outs Above Average at third base this season and could benefit from gaining experience at another position as he looks to regain a roster spot with the big league club.
