NEW YORK -- Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez, who has battled a string of physical ailments throughout his young career, departed Tuesday’s 10-2 win over the Tigers in the sixth inning with a right knee injury. He was diagnosed with a meniscus tear after undergoing an MRI on Wednesday.
Batting with a runner on base in the sixth, Alvarez twisted his leg awkwardly while fouling off a Burch Smith pitch. After a lengthy chat with manager Carlos Mendoza and trainer Joe Golia, he gave way to pinch-hitter Luis Torrens.
Through a team spokesman on Tuesday night, Alvarez declined comment, saying he preferred to receive his diagnosis before addressing the issue.
Alvarez was batting .241 with a .710 OPS in 37 games at the time of his injury, serving as the Mets’ starting catcher. The 24-year-old has had trouble staying healthy throughout his career, missing significant time to the injured list from 2024-25 due to multiple torn thumb ligaments and a fractured left hamate bone. Until Tuesday, however, he had managed to stay healthy in 2026.
It's likely Torrens will take over as the everyday catcher. The top option with Triple-A Syracuse was Hayden Senger, who was called up on Wednesday.