Yardbarker
x
These Stats Add Concerning Context to Mets Players' Performance
Aug 4, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) doubles against the Los Angeles Angels during the sixth inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez has been one of MLB's most consistent catchers this season.

At least as it pertains to his defense.

Alvarez has been streaky as a hitter. While his home runs have drastically decreased this season compared to 2023 (5 big flies so far after hitting 25 last year), his respectable .742 OPS heading into Sunday's game against the Seattle Mariners shows an improvement from a year ago.

Although his .185 batting average and .486 OPS over the past month does not bode well; especially considering that some of Alvarez's other hitting stats show that he may be having better results at the plate than he deserves.

An August 11 article from James Villani from Metsmerized Online highlights some advanced hitting metrics that show Alvarez should be struggling at the plate even more than he already is.

"Alvarez is not consistently hitting the ball hard (32nd percentile average exit velocity) as he is failing to make good contact," Villani wrote. "10th percentile 'square-up' rate, 34th percentile barrel rate, and a sweet-spot contact rate that is one of the worst in the league.

"In addition, he is striking out too much (28th percentile strikeout rate) thanks to an extremely high whiff rate (13th percentile) and moderate chase rate," he continued. "All of this is resulting in expected batting average (xBA), expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA), and expected slugging (xSLG) numbers well-below league average (.219 xBA, .275 xwOBA, .336 xSLG)."

All of which is to say that Alvarez's hitting outcomes this season are better than they should be.

However, that doesn't discredit Alvarez's value for New York. Baseball Savant notes that he has been one of the league's elite pitch-framers this season, and is an above average catcher overall.

Plus, Mets starting pitchers Sean Manaea and Paul Blackburn have been outspoken about Alvarez's professionalism, preparation, and attention to detail behind the plate.

Alvarez is a huge asset to his team and a player that New York can build around for the future. And that will become even more glaring if (and when) he can turn his recent hitting struggles around.


This article first appeared on New York Mets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!