Scout, analysts address if Mets should make drastic Francisco Alvarez move

The New York Mets have reportedly acknowledged that "there could come a time when" the club may need to give struggling catcher Francisco Alvarez a reset by sending him down to Triple-A Syracuse. 

For a piece published on Friday, SNY's John Harper spoke with a major-league scout and multiple analysts about how the Mets should handle Alvarez leading up to the All-Star break. 

"I like the way he plays the game," the scout said about Alvarez. "So in one sense, I hate to say it, but I think he’s in his own head so much that the Mets need to try something drastic and send him down [to the minors]. Give him a chance to figure some things out away from the spotlight."

Alvarez seemingly hasn't been the same hitter since he missed time due to a torn ligament in his left thumb last year. He didn't make his season debut until April 25 because of the broken hamate bone in his left hand that he suffered during spring training. He slashed .229/.316/.305 with a disappointing .621 OPS, two home runs, 10 RBI and five extra-base hits across his first 34 games of the ongoing campaign. 

"I certainly wouldn’t give up on Alvarez, and I don’t think sending him to the minors and facing Triple-A pitching would really accomplish anything, unless the Mets believe he simply needs a mental break. In that case, maybe it would help him get a reset," The Athletic's Keith Law told Harper. 

MLB insider Andy Martino of SNY shared in a mailbag published on Thursday that "the Mets want Francisco Alvarez to figure it out at the MLB level." However, that was before New York's losing streak was extended to six via a 7-1 loss at the rival Atlanta Braves on Thursday. 

"The Mets are in the business of winning games, and if Alvarez can’t figure it out with the big club, the organization will consider sending him to Triple-A," Martino added. "A demotion is not imminent. And for what it’s worth, Alvarez still has the potential to be a top catcher in the league."

While certain stats showed that outfielder Juan Soto would eventually break out of his springtime slump, there's no indication Alvarez will flip a figurative switch anytime soon. Former player and current SNY on-air analyst Todd Zeile thinks getting Alvarez "out of the fishbowl" of the bigs could help the slugger find some needed confidence. 

"But everybody reacts differently to something like that," Zeile also warned while chatting with Harper. 

As of the afternoon of June 20, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza seemed fine with having Alvarez split time with Luis Torrens. That said, whispers about the club possibly sending Alvarez down will only grow louder if he continues to look lost at the plate through the start of July.