Francisco Alvarez is Mets' catcher representative on All-Star ballot
Francisco Alvarez #4 of the Mets looks on against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field on Sunday, Apr. 9, 2023. Credit: Jim McIsaac
As if anybody needed further verification that Francisco Alvarez is the Mets’ top catcher, MLB revealed another piece of evidence Wednesday: The rookie is the team’s representative at the position on the All-Star ballot.
In the current context of Alvarez registering as the club’s most frequently used backstop and one of its best hitters, it is not a surprise. But, given that the Mets signed Omar Narvaez to a two-year, $15 million contract over the offseason to play alongside Tomas Nido, Alvarez grabbing the job this soon wasn’t exactly what team decision-makers anticipated coming into the season.
“You might not have thought it was going to be this year. Maybe next year,” manager Buck Showalter said. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Would it have been better if everybody had been healthy and our depth was such? I don’t know. You’d probably be thinking it might be next year. But knowing him and listening to everybody that I respect talk about him, it doesn’t surprise anybody. He’s kind of run with the opportunity.”
The Mets sent Alvarez to Triple-A Syracuse late in spring training, with Showalter saying at the time that he could imagine the 21-year-old staying there all season. But he wound up in the majors in time for the home opener because Narvaez got hurt and became the starter as Nido struggled.
Alvarez was absent from the lineup Wednesday against the Phillies, with Nido getting his first start since returning from the injured list May 25. The Mets expect Narvaez (left calf strain) back next week.
All-Star voting opened Wednesday. The first round will run through June 22; phase two will be June 26-29.
Every team has a representative at every position on the ballot, and the Mets’ selections did not include any surprises. Brett Baty is the third-base option, Daniel Vogelbach the DH.
Alvarez might have a shot at making the team, too. He began Wednesday fifth among NL catchers with 1.3 Wins Above Replacement, according to FanGraphs, despite his late start, in the lineup for only 10 games in April.
Atlanta’s Sean Murphy led the group with 2.7 WAR. Then came Los Angeles’ Will Smith (1.8), Milwaukee’s William Contreras (1.6) and Colorado’s Elias Diaz (1.4).
“Two or three weeks ago, people were talking about him in a different way,” Showalter said of Alvarez. “Now, they’re talking about him real positively. I try to keep that in mind, the ebb and flow of how people are looked at over the course of the season.”
More good news
Jose Quintana’s recovery from March rib surgery is about to take another step forward.
He is due to face hitters — for the first time since he got injured — in a live batting practice session Monday. A minor-league rehabilitation assignment would follow shortly thereafter.
Showalter said the Mets have Quintana penciled in for a pre-All-Star-break return.
“I’m progressing, feeling great, the next step is to see hitters and how my pitches are moving,” Quintana said. “[The surgically repaired rib] feels good. I never get nothing in there. No concern.”
Showalter added: “He’s making progress, no setbacks. If anything, we’re having to keep the reins tight on him, because he’s wanting to run.”
Guest of honor
The Mets will host New York City native and MLB researcher Sarah Langs at Citi Field on Friday as part of their Lou Gehrig Day goings-on. They also will present Project ALS with a $10,000 grant for research in honor of Langs.
Langs, who publicly shared her ALS diagnosis last year, grew up on the Upper East Side, attending Mets games with her family at Shea Stadium.
Extra bases
For a second day in a row, Showalter mentioned the possibility/likelihood of Starling Marte returning to the top-third of the lineup. “Our batting order works better with him up there,” he said . . . Daniel Vogelbach drew several rounds of boos during his pinch-hit appearance Tuesday. “A lot of things don’t help, but they’re part of the environment,” Showalter said. “It doesn’t help. It’s not the only place it happens, OK? It’s part of it. There’s a way to stop it.” . . . On the day the Mets gave out his bobblehead to the first 15,000 fans, Howie Rose threw out the ceremonial first pitch. He practiced throwing from the slope of the mound prior to batting practice . . . The Jets’ Garrett Wilson also threw a first pitch — to Brett Baty, his childhood friend in Lake Travis, Texas. They wore each other’s jersey.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
