Mets’ Francisco Alvarez situation gets weirder with mystery removal from game

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The New York Mets’ catching situation just got weirder.

Francisco Alvarez was just sent down to Triple-A Syracuse. But on Tuesday night in Rochester, he was removed from the game after his first at bat.

Alvarez was the starting catcher for the Syracuse Mets, batting third. He had a normal pregame, warming up the starting pitcher in the bullpen in his signature neon green catcher gear.

He swung at the first pitch he saw in the top of the first inning, grounding into a slow-developing double play.

Alvarez wasn’t exactly booking it down the line.

And when the Triple-A Mets came out to play defense, it was Jakson Reetz behind the plate getting some rapid-fire warmup throws. He didn’t appear to have expected to be in the game.

There are three reasons Alvarez could’ve been pulled: 

• His own injury
• Punishment for not running hard
• An injury at the MLB level to Luis Torrens or Hayden Senger, the Mets’ current catchers

Alvarez walked slowly off the field after his at bat, but it wasn’t readily apparent that he was injured.

The Mets will likely make an announcement soon, but for at least a little while on Tuesday night, the Alvarez situation grew in its mysteriousness.

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