New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez and third baseman Mark Vientos are taking a seat on Wednesday when they play the final game of a three-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Alvarez has been in the starting nine in each of the past three contests. During this stretch, the backstop has posted a strong .444/.545/.444 slash line with one RBI. Vientos has been swinging a hot bat over his last five games, holding a .316/.381/.316 line and will be given a typical day off. Fantasy managers should expect both Alvarez and Vientos to return to the starting nine on Friday when they begin a series against the Chicago Cubs. This afternoon, Luis Torrens and Brett Baty will be behind the dish and cover the hot corner, respectively. The Mets are worth a look in DFS facing Arizona right-hander Merrill Kelly.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez will take a seat in the first game of their doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. Alvarez was given the start on Friday and went 3-for-5 at the plate. The young backstop missed nearly the first month of the season, recovering from a bone fracture in his left hand. Through his first six games of the season, Alvarez has posted a .269/.321/.423 slash line with one double and one home run. He has brought in six RBI and held a 9:2 K:BB. Fantasy managers should expect the 23-year-old to return to the starting nine for Game 2 this evening. In that match, he is set to face St. Louis right-hander Andre Pallante. In Game 1, Luis Torrens will be behind the dish and bat in the six-hole. He is worth a look in DFS facing Erick Fedde, who carries a 4.68 ERA.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez and second baseman Jeff McNeil are both resting on Saturday in St. Louis against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Luis Torres is catching and batting eighth, while Luisangel Acuna is at the keystone and is hitting seventh against Cardinals right-hander Erick Fedde. Both Alvarez and McNeil recently made their season debuts after beginning the 2025 season with injuries. Alvarez has gone just 4-for-21 with a homer, double, three RBI, two walks and eight strikeouts in his first five games of the year. McNeil has been better, going 6-for-19 with a homer, three RBI and a run scored in his first five games played. Of the two replacements on Saturday, Acuna is the better DFS sleeper pick. The 23-year-old Venezuelan infielder has yet to homer in his 73 at-bats this year, but he's batting .288/.342/.356 with seven stolen bases.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez is on the bench ahead of Sunday's game against the Washington Nationals. Alvarez started the first two games of this series after being activated off the injured list on Friday. In those two games, Alvarez has gone 2-for-8 with a home run and two RBI. His power ability alone makes Alvarez worth a look in 12-team formats. It's not always easy to find a productive option at catcher, but Alvarez has plenty of potential with the bat. On Sunday, Luis Torrens will cover behind the plate and bat seventh against left-hander Mitchell Parker.

The New York Mets announced on Friday that they have reinstated catcher Francisco Alvarez (hand) from the 10-day injured list and optioned catcher Hayden Senger to Triple-A Syracuse in a corresponding move. Alvarez is making his 2025 debut for the Mets on Friday against the division-rival Washington Nationals and right-hander Jake Irvin, doing the catching and batting seventh. The 23-year-old backstop is getting a late start to the 2025 season after having surgery to fix a fractured hamate bone in his left hand. In his 10 minor-league rehab games, Alvarez went 7-for-39 at the plate with one home run. The Venezuelan catcher also missed extended time due to injuries in 2024 and hit just 11 home runs, but he clubbed a career-high 25 round-trippers and drove in 63 in 2023 in his first full big-league season. Alvarez is New York's starting catcher with high-end power at the catching position.

MLB.com's Anthony DiComo reports that if New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (hand) gets through his final minor-league rehab game with Double-A Binghamton on Wednesday without issue, he could come off the 10-day injured list to make his season debut on Friday against the division-rival Washington Nationals. In his nine rehab games down on the farm, the 23-year-old backstop has gone 7-for-35 with a home run. Alvarez is making his return from hamate surgery on his left field, and while the Met will probably ease him back in behind the dish when he returns to the active, there's no debate that he's their full-time starter when he's healthy. The Venezuelan catcher also dealt with injuries last year and played in only 100 games, but he hit 25 home runs and drove in 63 in 2023 and has high-end power at the position. Luis Torrens will return to backup duties when Alvarez makes his 2025 debut.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (hand), who is recovering from hamate-bone surgery, could return from the 10-day injured list during the team's current homestand, which begins on Thursday against the St. Louis Cardinals and runs through Wednesday, April 23. Alvarez is scheduled to catch back-to-back nine-inning games at Double-A Binghamton on Friday and Saturday. If those games go well, manager Carlos Mendoza said the team will have "a conversation." In five minor-league games to this point, the 23-year-old backstop has one 4-for-17 with a homer and three RBI. It will be interesting to see how Alvarez fares from a power standpoint after having surgery on his left hand. He showed in 2023 that he has the ability to be one of the better power-hitting catchers by clubbing 25 round-trippers, but he came back to Earth in 2024 due to injuries and hit 11 homers in just 100 games.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (wrist) is "fine" after being hit by a pitch during Tuesday's rehab outing. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza noted that the young backstop will continue his rehab assignment with Double-A on Wednesday evening and is slated to be behind the dish. This is an excellent sign as the 23-year-old was removed from Tuesday's contest after the HBP. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring his progress as he could be in the mix to return to the majors sometime next week, if he continues progressing well in his rehab outing. Last summer, Alvarez held a .237/.307/.403 slash line across 100 contests. However, during the 2023 season, Alvarez posted a promising .437 SLG with 25 long balls across 123 contests. When he is cleared to return, he should be viewed as a low-end No. 1 catcher.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (hand) will shift his minor-league rehab assignment from Single-A St. Lucie to Double-A Binghamton on Tuesday, instead of Triple-A Syracuse, because of weather concerns, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. In three rehab games with St. Lucie, the 23-year-old backstop went 1-for-10 with a run scored, two walks and three strikeouts. He is recovering from surgery to fix a broken hamate bone in his left hand, but if he can continue to avoid any setbacks, he could be ready to come off the injured list to make his season debut at some point next week. The Venezuelan catcher hit a disappointing 11 home runs in 2024 and played in only 100 games due to injury after clubbing a career-high 25 round-trippers in 2023. With better health once he returns, Alvarez could bounce back in the power department at a position that lacks power.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (hand) is taking batting practice on the field in New York on Tuesday as the team gets ready to go up against the Marlins. It is the first time the backstop has taken batting practice on the field since he had surgery on his left hand to fix a broken hamate bone. There isn't a clear timeframe for when he'll make his season debut, but this is certainly a step in the right direction. The Venezuelan is considered a top fantasy catcher when healthy, but injuries also limited him to 100 games in 2024 as well. Luis Torrens and Hayden Senger are handling catching duties for now, and it is Senger who will get the start on Tuesday versus the Marlins' RHP Connor Gillispie.UPDATE: Alvarez will start a minor-league rehab assignment in Port St. Lucie on Wednesday, according to manager Carlos Mendoza.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (hand) was scheduled to catch right-hander Kodai Senga's bullpen session on Friday and take batting practice in the cages, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. Alvarez is recovering after needing surgery to fix a fractured hamate bone in his left hand, but it's unclear when he might be able to return to make his 2025 season debut. Until the 23-year-old is able to return, Luis Torrens will continue to serve as the Mets' starting catcher, with Hayden Senger serving as the backup. When healthy, Alvarez is the Mets' primary backstop, and the Venezuelan catcher showed plenty of promise by hitting 25 home runs and driving in 63 back in 2023. A torn UCL in his left hand set him back a year ago, though, and he was able to hit only 11 homers in 100 games played. He's a top-12 fantasy catcher when healthy.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (hand) had the stitches removed from his surgically-repaired left hand on Monday, and he will begin working on strength and ramping up baseball activities, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. When Alvarez initially suffered his hand injury, he was given a timetable of six to eight weeks. It means that barring any setbacks once he begins swinging the bat full speed, the 23-year-old backstop has a chance to come off the injured list to make his 2025 debut before the end of April. Until that comes to pass, Luis Torrens will serve as the Mets' starting catcher, with Hayden Senger winning the backup job out of spring training. Alvarez's hand injury limited him to 100 regular-season games in 2024, but he deserves to be stashed in all fantasy leagues after he hit 25 home runs in his first full big-league season in 2023.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (hand) will be sidelined six-to-eight weeks due to a fractured hamate bone in his left hand. He is set to undergo surgery on Monday. The 23-year-old has been participating in spring training and was slated to be the team's primary backstop in 2025. Last summer, Alvarez missed a significant portion of the season due to a torn UCL in his left thumb. The young backstop could now be facing his second extended absence in consecutive seasons. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring his status as he will likely miss all of April and potentially part of May. Across 100 contests last season, the 23-year-old posted a .237/.307/.403 with 11 home runs. However, during the 2023 season, Alvarez flashed high power upside as he went deep 23 times and added 12 doubles across 123 contests. While Alvarez is sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Luis Torrens to move to the top of the depth chart with Jakson Reetz serving as the No. 2 option.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (hand) will be sidelined six-to-eight weeks due to a fractured hamate bone in his left hand. He is set to undergo surgery on Monday. The 23-year-old has been participating in spring training and was slated to be the team's primary backstop in 2025. Last summer, Alvarez missed a significant portion of the season due to a torn UCL in his left thumb. The young backstop could now be facing his second extended absence in consecutive seasons. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring his status as he will likely miss all of April and potentially part of May. Across 100 contests last season, the 23-year-old posted a .237/.307/.403 with 11 home runs. However, during the 2023 season, Alvarez flashed high power upside as he went deep 23 times and added 12 doubles across 123 contests. While Alvarez is sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Luis Torrens to move to the top of the depth chart with Jakson Reetz serving as the No. 2 option.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez revamped his swing in the offseason with help from former Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez. "He wants to be a complete hitter, not just a power hitter," manager Carlos Mendoza said. Alvarez hit 25 homers as a rookie in 2023, but he hit just 11 last year in 342 plate appearances. He slashed .185/.237/.274 in July and August, but he rebounded with a .900 OPS and five long balls in September. In the offseason, the 23-year-old backstop said he worked on his stance, use of his hands and lower-body movements with his swing. He had a tendency to "spin out" and step towards third base with his swing as opposed to stepping back up the middle. Alvarez hopes the changes improve his plate discipline and help him hit the ball up the middle more. Using the field more could make Alvarez a nice bounce-back candidate, as will being healthier after he missed seven-plus weeks with a torn UCL in his left hand.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez collected three hits on Friday night, including an RBI single, in the Mets' 12-6 rout of the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was Alvarez's best performance of the postseason and helped improve his subpar playoff stat line to a more tolerable .225/.262/.512 slash line. His presence at the bottom of the lineup helped give New York strength throughout their entire lineup that produced thoroughly on Friday. As a steady presence behind the plate for New York the entire postseason, Mets fans and DFS players should expect Alvarez to be behind the plate on Sunday once again. The Dodgers have yet to name a starter but the expectation is that they will roll out a bullpen game. DFS managers may want to take caution when adding Alvarez to their lineups and not buy too high on Friday night's performance.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (back) left Friday night's game early against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field due to back spasms, according to the team. Alvarez looked to be in considerable pain after sliding into third base in the seventh inning and was replaced by Luis Torrens. Before leaving, he went 0-for-1 at the plate with two walks, a run scored and a strikeout. The 22-year-old backstop was helped off the field by trainers and probably isn't going to be ready to play in Game 2 of the series on Saturday. It's a terrible time for one of the Mets' better players to get hurt as they seek one of the last two wild-card spots in the National League. Torrens would become the primary catcher for the Mets if Alvarez needs more time off. Overall, it's been a disappointing season for Alvarez in 2024 after he hit 25 bombs and drove in 63 in 2023. This year, he's hitting .234 with only 11 homers and 44 RBI in his 96 games played. After two more games in Milwaukee this weekend, the Mets face the division-rival Braves on Monday in a doubleheader that could decide the final wild-card team.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez is in the lineup and will bat ninth in Tuesday's game against the Boston Red Sox, returning to the lineup after sitting out on Monday. Alvarez is hitting .233/.294/.369 with six homers, 30 RBI, and 28 runs scored in 79 games, but is in the midst of a stretch that has seen him hitting .169/.213/.239 with a homer, three RBI, and nine runs scored over the last 30 days. Daily fantasy managers should avoid him while those in standard formats should look elsewhere for production until Alvarez begins tapping into the potential that once made him an elite prospect.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez will get the day off on Sunday as the Mets look to clinch a series victory over the San Diego Padres. As a result, Luis Torrens will be behind the dish and bat in the eight-hole. In his past six games, Alvarez has tallied only one hit, which was a solo shot on August 19. Torrens has held a mere .136/.208/.136 line through eight games this month with no extra-base hits. Torrens will face San Diego southpaw Martin Perez, who has been on a strong run as of late, boasting a 2.17 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP across his past 29 innings. Alvarez should be expected to rejoin the starting lineup on Tuesday evening as the Mets travel to the desert to face the Diamondbacks.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez walked it off in Monday's series-opening win over the visiting Baltimore Orioles at Citi Field, blasting a solo home run in the ninth inning to cap off the victory. Alvarez belted a walk-off homer off Orioles right-hander Seranthony Dominguez to center field, securing the Mets' 4-3 win over Baltimore on Monday. The 22-year-old slugging backstop entered the day in a brutal slump, batting .162 (11-for-68) with one long ball over his last 21 games as New York's top catcher, so fantasy managers are hoping Monday's heroics bring on a hot streak for Alvarez.