Mets' Legend Gives Honest Assessment on Francisco Alvarez's Struggles

A year after New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez led all rookies in the National League with 25 home runs, the 22-year-old is now in the middle of a major sophomore slump.

After starting the season hot on offense, Alvarez was forced to miss nearly six weeks with a torn ligament in his left thumb that required surgery in late-April. While he initially saw some production at the plate upon returning in June, his bat has cooled off significantly ever since.

The Mets were hoping Alvarez finally got his offensive groove back when he crushed a walk-off home run against the Baltimore Orioles on August 19, however, he has hit just .094 since then.

As a result, the young catcher's offensive numbers have dipped to a disappointing .233/.294/.369 with a .663 OPS and just six home runs in 79 games.

Despite the young catcher failing to capture that offensive power and production he had last season, this Mets' legend explains what he believes has gone wrong for Alvarez in 2024.

Carlos Beltran, who had a very successful tenure with the Mets from 2005-2011, spoke to Manny Gomez of NJ Advance Media and talked about how he was in a similar situation as Alvarez early in his career.

"It took me about four years to find my daily routine and finally be comfortable," Beltran told NJ Advance Media.

The former outfielder, who is now a special advisor to the Mets' front office, also believes that age is part of the factor in Alvarez's struggles this season.

"Honestly, he's a young kid. "He's 22 years old, trying to find his routine," Beltran said. "Last year, he had a good year, but this year has been a bit difficult in terms of consistency. It's not for lack of energy or effort. He's somebody who shows up to work every day, loves being on the field, and wants to contribute."

Although Alvarez has gone a woeful 3-for-32 during his last 12 games and did not start for a second straight game behind the plate on Monday, Beltran emphasizes patience for the young catcher.

“To expect him to be perfect every day, it’s not right,” Beltran said. “I see his intentions and his effort, and for me he’s doing a good job on that end. It’s not easy when the expectations are so high and you’re not meeting them.”