Tag: francisco-alvarez

Heavy Questions for the New York Mets

It only seems like the sky is falling for the New York Mets. They have been stuck in a rut for over a week, having lost eight of their last nine contests. I still believe this team is playoff bound and this is one of those stretches that even the best teams go through during the course of a long season. However, there are still some things that are developing that can derail the club as they seek to return to the World Series for the first time since 2015. After last season’s run to the National League Championship Series, just making the playoffs isn’t good enough. So what are some things that are a bit concerning to me? Here are some questions I have regarding the current state of the Mets.

Sean Manaea needs to resemble 2024 when he comes back. Credit: Sports Illustrated

Has the pitching lab hit a snafu?

Much of the rotation acquisitions the Mets have made over the last two offseasons were met with skepticism. The performances of Sean Manaea and Luis Severino, along with improvements of Tylor Megill and David Peterson in 2024 showed that David Stearns, Carlos Mendoza and Jeremey Hefner knew their talent and played to their strengths. 2025 started off the same. Griffin Canning and Clay Holmes exceeded expectations through the first eight weeks of the season. Their starts as of late are concerning. Canning is close reverting back to seasons past and it’s hard to tell if Holmes can last the entire season in the rotation. Kodai Sanga is hurt again. Manea is on his way back as is Frankie Montas. The rotation to me is officially a worry.

What’s up with Francisco Alvarez?

Alvarez’s injury last April coincided with the Mets slide and his activation was in line with the team’s turnaround in June. He missed the first month of this season and has struggled since coming off the injured list. He has struck out 38 times in just 138 plate appearances with only three home runs. Defensively, he still throws out would be base stealers but other aspects, such as framing and blocking pitches, have regressed. Part of the issue stems from the fact that Luis Torrens did a tremendous job while Alvarez was out. Without regular playing time, Alvarez has had issues getting on track. This resulted in him getting sent to Triple A Syracuse on Sunday. I feel like since Torrens has been so good, the Mets will be OK at catcher, just like the Yankees in 2022 when Jose Trevino got an opportunity and ran with it. Alvarez is still only 24 and not far removed from being the organization’s #1 prospect. It’s still early to say he will not work out long term. Moderate worry on this situation.

How much trust do you have in the bullpen?

To be fair, 75% of baseball fans are skeptical of their team’s bullpen. When it comes to the Mets, I feel like the only guy to trust is Edwin Diaz, despite the overall numbers. Huascar Brazobán was the most reliable reliever after Diaz early on but he has struggled in his last ten appearances. The loss of A.J. Minter for the season was a crushing blow. Perhaps the long term role for Jose Butto is that of a setup guy as opposed to a long man. Last year, Stearns filled out the bullpen as the year went on with Brazoban, Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek. That strategy paid off with an NLCS appearance. Perhaps with Brazoban and Butto, more internal options exist and lessens the need for a big trade. I would still like to see a setup weapon such as Jake Bird. Bullpens are always a worry, but on this year’s Mets, the rotation worries me more.

The Week Ahead in Major League Baseball June 10-June 16

Next week is Father’s Day. What better present for Dad than treating him to a day of doing……..nothing. OK, watching the day’s action in Major League Baseball ranks a close second, particularly if it is a rainy day. At least fans of the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets won’t be watching baseball during breakfast. Most kids, including my own, will be done with school this week. Time to start letting them stay up late to watch some West Coast action.

Bryce Harper and company head to Camden Yards this weekend. Photo from The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Here is what is coming up this week:

Series to watch: Philadelphia Phillies at Baltimore Orioles

This past weekend bought the hype of a possible World Series preview with the Los Angeles Dodgers playing at the New York Yankees. The Phils-O’s matchup can be deemed as such, too. It wouldn’t be the first meeting between the clubs in the Fall Classic as in 1983 the Orioles were victorious in five games, their last World Series appearance. Philadelphia owns the best record in baseball while Baltimore is tied with the Cleveland Guardians with the third best mark. Gunnar Henderson already has 20 home runs for the Orioles, the most in either league. Kyle Schwarber has been quiet so far this month, a stark contrast to his previous June. Will the friendly confines of Camden Yards wake up his sleeping bat?

Player to watch: Francisco Alvarez

The Mets were 12-8 when their young catching star suffered a thumb injury. They are now 28-36. It’s impossible to attribute the total meltdown to Alvarez’s absence. However, a telling stat appeared on SNY, home of the Mets, a couple of weeks ago. The pitching staff’s ERA is two runs lower with Alvarez behind the plate. The lineup, which has been showing signs of life, could use his big and dramatic bat in the order. Despite the bad record, the Mets are only three games out of a playoff spot. All signs point to Alvarez returning to Queens over the weekend.

Last Stand for the Blue Jays?

The Toronto Blue Jays are a game under .500, and in fourth place in the American League East. Cavan Biggio, once a part of a core of youngsters that was to make the Jays annual contenders, was designated for assignment. Alek Manoah will miss the rest of the season. Vladimir Guerrero, Jr and Bo Bichette are due to be a free agents after 2026. It almost feels as though if Toronto misses out on the playoffs this year, there will be a major teardown of the team. I think management will add, rather than subtract at the trade deadline.

National League West woes

The NL West was seen as a very strong division at the start of the season. Today, four of the five teams are under .500. Even the Los Angeles Dodgers are not immune, playing .500 ball over the last two weeks. The Colorado Rockies are the only team that is hopeless while the other three teams are within a game and a half of one another. Despite the miserable starts, I expect two of the three teams bundled together to make the playoffs.