Mets' Francisco Alvarez News Emerges After 7 Straight Missed Games

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Gavin Groe | Last updated Aug 26, 2025 3:52 PM ET

The New York Mets are looking to gain momentum heading into the final month of the season, currently sitting six games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for first in the NL East and holding sole possession of the final wild card spot.

The team has been playing shorthanded recently, with Francisco Alvarez sidelined since August 17 due to a torn ligament in his right thumb. Luis Torrens has handled catching duties in his absence.

Before the injury, Alvarez had been on a tear at the plate following a brief stint in the minors. The 23-year-old catcher batted .341 (14-for-41) with three home runs and a 1.059 OPS over 14 games in August, providing much-needed offense as the rest of the lineup struggled.

Francisco Alvarez Injury Update

Initially, it was unclear whether Alvarez would return this season, which would have been a major blow for New York. Instead, he opted to postpone surgery and attempt to play through the injury.

After taking pain-free batting practice on Monday, Alvarez announced before the Mets’ game against the Phillies that he would begin his rehab assignment on Wednesday.

When asked if the plan was to start the assignment tomorrow, he responded via translator: “Yeah. After today ends, the plan is for me to play tomorrow.”

Francisco Alvarez expects to start a rehab assignment tomorrow pic.twitter.com/Q9nOpXVpVL
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 26, 2025

The timing couldn’t be better for the Mets, who crushed the Phillies at Citi Field on Monday. If they take the next two games, the gap in the NL East would shrink to four games with a month left—making a run for the division title a real possibility.

At the same time, the Mets must hold off the Cincinnati Reds, who trail by just 2.5 games in the wild card race. Getting Alvarez’s bat back in the lineup could be a difference-maker down the stretch.

Luis Torrens has struggled offensively this season, posting a .221 batting average, .282 on-base percentage, .606 OPS, and just three home runs in 79 games. While his value comes primarily from his defense, the Mets’ offense would become significantly more dangerous with Alvarez back at full strength.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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