Updated Post – Aug. 28 at 15:37
Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez has a broken pinky in his left hand. He was hit by a pitch on Wednesday night in his first rehab game with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets. Alvarez was rehabbing the UCL sprain of his right thumb.
Alvarez says he’s still hopeful to play this season.
Original Post – Aug. 27 at 20:51
Francisco Alvarez was hit on the left hand tonight during his rehab game with Triple-A Syracuse and was pulled immediately for pinch runner Matt O’Neill.
The setback comes just as he had begun working his way back from a right thumb sprain that had sidelined him earlier this month. He had left the Little League Classic on August 17 early after hurting his right thumb on a head-first slide into second base. Two days later, the Mets placed Alvarez on the 10-day injured list with a sprained UCL in his right thumb. It was later reported that he will eventually need surgery.
This latest issue adds to a growing list of hand injuries for the young catcher. Earlier this year, he broke the hamate bone in his left hand during spring training, and last season he missed time with a thumb sprain on the opposite hand.
In recent days, Alvarez had been taking batting practice and starting to throw, prompting manager Carlos Mendoza to note on Monday that his swing looked fully comfortable.
“After watching the video [on Sunday] and watching him today before he went through the whole routine before he went out there and the fact he is willing to face pitching as early as Wednesday, we have got to see the throwing, but the swinging part, there is no hesitation there,” Mendoza remarked on Monday.
After returning to the Mets in late July, Alvarez had been one of the team’s hottest hitters, batting .323/.408/.645 with four home runs and 13 RBI. His rehab stint in Syracuse was meant to prepare him for a September return, but being hit on that left hand now creates another hurdle before that can happen.
Before exiting tonight’s game, Alvarez was 1-for-2 with a double to left field.
