Francisco Álvarez has been under the microscope all season, but over his last 15 games he has begun to steady himself at the plate. In that stretch, the 23-year-old catcher has gone 10-for-44, good for a .227 average, with three home runs, six RBIs, three walks, and a .500 slugging percentage. The power has resurfaced at the right time, and the Mets needed every bit of it on Tuesday night.
Facing the Chicago Cubs in a must-win series opener at Wrigley Field, New York fell behind early. Brandon Nimmo and Pete Alonso kept the Mets close with timely hitting, but the Cubs rallied to tie the game at seven. That set the stage for Álvarez.
FRANCISCO. ALVAREZ. pic.twitter.com/8xm2xdaRnz
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 24, 2025
With a runner on second and a 3–1 count against Cubs reliever Caleb Thielbar in the top of the eighth inning, Álvarez blasted a towering two-run homer out of the park. It was his 10th home run of the year and one of the most dramatic swings of his young career.
After the game, Álvarez revealed the two words he had following his game-winning homer:
"I just said, 'let's go!'"
"I just said, 'let's go!'"
— SNY (@SNYtv) September 24, 2025
Francisco Alvarez talks about what he yelled towards his teammates after his home run: pic.twitter.com/rZehrUMKKW
The moment carried extra weight because of his journey this season. On June 22, 2025, the Mets optioned Álvarez to Triple-A Syracuse to work through his offensive and defensive struggles. The demotion was meant as a reset, and it worked. After a productive stint in the minors, he was recalled on July 21. Since returning, he has shown more poise at the plate, with his recent 15-game stretch underscoring his growth.
Overall, Álvarez is hitting .258 with 10 home runs and 30 RBIs in 233 at-bats this season. The Mets don’t necessarily need him to be the star of the lineup, but they do need him to be a consistent threat. His recent production including that clutch blast at Wrigley shows that he is finding his rhythm again.
For a team battling to secure a postseason berth, Álvarez’s resilience and timely power could prove to be the difference.
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