Mets Make Lineup Decision in Search of Offense

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Mets Make Lineup Decision in Search of Offense

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Michael Sakuraba | Last updated Jun 18, 2026 6:00 PM ET

The New York Mets' struggles this year have been well documented. Having one of the league's highest payrolls and sitting in last place in the division does not go unnoticed.

On Thursday, manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed that he is looking to inject more offense into the lineup. When speaking with reporters ahead of the team's game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Mendoza spoke about moving catcher Francisco Alvarez to DH. Not only does it keep Alvarez's bat in the lineup, but it also allows the Mets to play Luis Torrens at catcher.

Torrens is considered one of MLB's elite defensive catchers, boasting one of the league's highest marks for catching base-stealers.

Carlos Mendoza says he is considering using Francisco Alvarez more as a DH to get Luis Torrens playing time at catcher pic.twitter.com/pyXWnas1wX
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 18, 2026

"Yes, yes. I think anytime we have that opportunity, depending on the matchups and who we're playing, we've been having those discussions. Keep Alvy's bat, keep Luis' defense behind the plate."

Alvarez, who recently returned from a knee injury, is one of the Mets' best hitters. With that being said, his play behind the plate has never been his strongest suit. Alvarez has twice led the league in passed balls and recorded an MLB-leading 13 errors in 2023, albeit in his rookie season.

Francisco Alvarez brings in Juan Soto for the second run of the inning! pic.twitter.com/ivOh6yrR4s
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 17, 2026

Since joining the Mets in 2024, Torrens has never had a caught-stealing percentage lower than 40%. He led MLB in 2025, catching 20 base stealers on 49 attempts, good for a 40.8% mark. In comparison, Alvarez has never had a caught-stealing percentage above 26% in his career.

At this point in the season, the Mets are desperate for anything to inject some life into this lineup. Moving Alvarez to DH will help provide some extra punch to a lineup that has struggled to produce runs, especially given some of the names in the order. Having Torrens play more catcher will shore up the team's defense, and hopefully, allow Alvarez to fully heal and stay healthy for the remainder of the season.

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

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