Mets remembers top prospect Francisco Álvarez after injury to Omar Narváez sidelined him for eight weeks, according to report

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By Webdesk



The New York Mets is expected to put catcher Omar Narvaez on the injured list Thursday after imaging revealed he suffered a moderate to severe strain on his left calf. Such an injury usually entails a recovery time of eight to nine weeks, according to the team’s estimate. Once Narváez is officially placed on the IL, the Mets are expected to recall catcher Francisco Álvarez to the majors, according to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. (The Mets already had him on his way to Citi Field, in case Narváez’s injury turned out to be significant.)

Álvarez, who made his big league-debut late last year, was recently ranked by CBS Sports as the third best prospect in the minors:

Álvarez reached the majors late last season as the Mets looked for another capable right-hander bat for their postseason run. He didn’t do well in five regular season games, but in the end it doesn’t matter. Álvarez has tremendous raw power and he’s improved his defense enough to bet on staying with the catcher. Strikeouts will always be part of his game, and he’s had a lot of pull in the minors, a combination that can limit his batting average upward. Even so, there’s more than enough pop-and-walk potential here for him to become an offensive force.

Narváez, 31, joined the Mets over the winter on a one-year deal. In five games so far, he hit .286/.353/.286 (78 OPS+) with two runs batted in. Although Narváez struggled last season, he has established himself as a solid hitter over the course of 2,100 at bats. He does indeed have a career OPS+ of 100 on his nose.

Still, you can’t blame anyone who’s excited to see 21-year-old Álvarez get a better shot at staying. In four games at the Triple-A level this season, he hit .250/.368/.688 with two home runs. Álvarez posted a .786 OPS in five games after his promotion last year. He also recorded a single at bat in the postseason in which he struckout.

The Mets pair Álvarez with veteran Tomás Nido. It goes without saying that Nido, a right-handed hitter, could get a good deal of playing time against left-handers.

Narváez is the latest in a growing list of notable injuries the Mets have suffered. The selection of New York is currently without Justin Verlander, José Quintana and Edwin Díaz, among others.





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