Updated Post: June 3 at 5:35 pm

According to Carlos Mendoza, Francisco Alvarez will not travel across the pond with the Mets. The catcher, who hit the IL in late April with a thumb injury, began his rehab assignment in Binghamton in late May, and will instead get at-bats with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets.

If all goes well and he progresses with his rehab program, Mendoza notes there is a strong chance Alvarez will rejoin the Mets on their homestand beginning June 11. Alvarez is off on Monday and will catch nine innings on Tuesday, his first time catching a complete game since his injury.

Original Post: May 30 at 8:45 pm

Francisco Alvarez is up in Binghamton with the Double-A Rumble Ponies making his first rehab assignment after thumb surgery.

In his first plate appearance, Alvarez drew a walk but in just his second plate appearance of the night Alvarez sent a screaming line drive to right field for a three-run home run.

Prior to the start of the game, Alvarez spoke with the media about his progress post-thumb surgery: “I want my timing back because I want to come back quicker and that’s it. I am going to play today and tomorrow and then off Saturday and Sunday.”

When asked how much it hurts being away from the team during a rough stretch of baseball Alvarez says, “It hurts a lot. The guys and myself too are having really hard times right now, but we have to keep going.”

The Mets are in dire need of their young star not only for his bat, but for the joy and energy he brings to the clubhouse. Before he went down in the Los Angeles Dodgers series back in April the Mets record with Alvarez was 11-8.

Without Alvarez, the Mets have a record of 11-25, which potentially can be a reason for the Mets’ struggles all around, including their pitching staff. In the 16 games, Alvarez has played this year he is slashing .236/.288/.364/.652 with one home run and 8 RBIs.