Mets' Francisco Alvarez, Jeff McNeil could be back soon

There are, Carlos Mendoza acknowledged, still a few boxes to be checked.

But it appears likely that Francisco Alvarez will make his season debut sooner rather than later.

“From the medical staff, he’s going to be cleared,” Mendoza said before the Mets’ 3-0 win over the Cardinals on Saturday.

Alvarez caught nine innings and went 2-for-5 (two singles) in Double-A Binghamton’s 6-1 victory at Reading on Saturday.

The 23-year-old catcher broke the hamate bone in his left hand during spring training while taking a swing. Alvarez began a rehab assignment earlier this month.

In seven games with Class A St. Lucie and Binghamton, he is hitting .222 (6-for-27) with a home run, three RBIs, three walks and four runs.

“So it’s now ‘do you need more at-bats to get your timing right? Or are you ready to come up and start playing big-league games?’  ” Mendoza said. “I think maybe he’ll DH [on Sunday]. And then after that, knock on wood, from the medical standpoint, he’s going to be clear.”

Which, theoretically, would have Alvarez in line to return for the three-game series against the Phillies that begins Monday in Flushing.

And he might not be coming alone.

Mendoza said “we’ll see” when asked if Jeff McNeil could be activated for the series, too.

McNeil, who has not played in the majors this season because of a oblique muscle strain suffered during spring training, went 2-for-5 with a solo home run for Binghamton on Saturday. In five rehab games with St. Lucie and the Rumble Ponies, McNeil is hitting .313 (5-for-16) with a .421 on-base percentage and the one home run.

Mendoza expected McNeil to play in the minors again Sunday.

If McNeil be activated after the weekend, the question is who would be sent down in the corresponding roster move.

Either Luisangel Acuna or Brett Baty would be the most obvious candidates, but Mendoza hinted that there is a scenario in which both would stay up with the Mets when McNeil is activated.

Acuna and Baty have split time at second base. Acuna had a double in three trips Saturday and is hitting .268 with six stolen bases.

Though Baty is hitting only .213 after going 0-for-1 with a walk off the bench Saturday, in the previous five games, he was 7-for-19 with two doubles, two RBIs and three runs.

“They’re both earning playing time,” Mendoza said. “They’ve both proven they’re big-league players.”

Baty came in for Mark Vientos (groin discomfort) before the start of the fifth inning.

Baty made a terrific play in the field, throwing out St. Louis’ Thomas Saggese at home with one out in the fifth.

“Great play,” Vientos said.