Mets’ Francisco Alvarez taking big surprising step 19 days after surgery

The New York Mets moved closer to getting catcher Francisco Alvarez back in the lineup after manager Carlos Mendoza announced on Sunday after a 10-1 win over the Miami Marlins that the 24-year-old is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday.

The development comes only 19 days after Alvarez suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee on May 12 during a game against the Detroit Tigers. New York placed him on the 10-day injured list the following day, and he underwent surgery on May 14.

Alvarez’s progress has been considerably faster than expected. Initial projections suggested his return might not come until mid-July, but he has already resumed baseball activities and is preparing for game action. Mendoza said Alvarez has been catching bullpens, blocking pitches, running, throwing, participating in catcher-specific drills, and taking live batting practice.

Syracuse is scheduled to host the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Tuesday, providing Alvarez with his first opportunity to begin the next stage of his recovery.

Francisco Alvarez underwent meniscus surgery on May 14th with an estimated return to play of ~8 weeks

He is slated to play in a rehab game 19 days post-surgery

What a freak https://t.co/fC4TmcTKVC

— Joe DeMayo (@PSLToFlushing) May 31, 2026

Before the injury, Alvarez appeared in 37 games for New York this season. He posted a .241 batting average, a .317 on-base percentage, and a .393 slugging percentage while recording four home runs, 10 RBIs, and a .710 OPS.

The Mets have relied on Luis Torrens as their primary catcher during Alvarez’s absence, with Hayden Senger serving as the backup.

Torrens drove in two runs and contributed behind the plate, helping Nolan McLean and David Peterson keep Miami in check Sunday. After taking a pitch off his left hand in the sixth inning, Torrens momentarily raised injury concerns. He remained in the game, however, and later scored on Juan Soto’s grand slam.

Alvarez has dealt with multiple injuries in recent seasons. He was limited to 76 games in 2025 after missing the beginning of the year with a fractured left hamate bone suffered during spring training. Later that season, he missed additional time after tearing the UCL in his right thumb, an injury that eventually required surgery.

Alvarez’s rapid recovery has him on course to rejoin the Mets, who enter June on a four-game winning streak after sweeping the Marlins.

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