SAN FRANCISCO — Expect the Mets to be without catcher Francisco Alvarez for the next two months. Alvarez had successful surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament on his left thumb on Tuesday. The Mets had initially estimated a timeline of 6-8 weeks, but now that the procedure has been performed the team was able to get a better idea of what they’re up against with his recovery.
Given that it’s his receiving hand, doctors have given Alvarez an eight-week timeline for a return.
“We’re looking at eight weeks because of the position he plays,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Tuesday at Oracle Park. “We’ve got to be mindful and I know he’s going to try to push it, but we’ve got to make sure we get him back healthy.”
Alvarez will be down for a few days while he still has stitches in his hand. Rehab will then begin and baseball activities will follow. The surgery was performed in Los Angeles and Alvarez is expected to meet the team in New York when they return later this week to begin the process of strengthening his thumb and hand.
“Until he’s like 80% with his strength and his grip and things, that’s when he’ll start doing more baseball activities,” Mendoza said.
An eager, energetic player, Alvarez was hoping for a shorter recovery period but the Mets want to take their time to ensure there are no complications and further injuries that could land him on the injured list again. Keeping him at an eight-week pace might be a challenge for the Mets, but it’s necessary.
The team plans to keep him in meetings and pregame planning sessions with pitchers knowing that he’ll want to stay engaged and so that he’s prepared when he does return. They may not bring him on the road right away but Mendoza said they will consider it when he’s further along in the rehab process.
Alvarez, 22, was hitting .236 with a .652 OPS, four doubles, one home run, eight RBI and four walks at the time of his injury, which occurred Friday night in Los Angeles in the series-opener against the Dodgers. He was hustling around first base after the pitcher overthrew the ball past the bag and slipped in the dirt, landing on his thumb. He reached second safely and was looked at by trainers, who let him stay in the game. After returning to the dugout, he found his thumb had swelled so much that he could no longer close his hand in his glove and was removed from the game.
“It’s an everyday thing,” Mendoza said of managing the emotions of his second-year catcher. “We’ve got to talk to him. I know he’s going to want to push it, but I’m just making him feel like a part of the team as much as possible so he doesn’t feel like he’s not contributing.”
KRANICK ACTIVATED
Right-hander Max Kranick (hamstring strain) was activated from the 15-day injured list Tuesday and optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. He’ll continue to work as a starter, replenishing some of the depth the Mets have lost over the last few months.
However, Kranick may not have to wait long for his first big-league appearance of the season. Friday marks the start of 13 straight games for the Mets without an off-day in between. The team is considering using a six-man rotation during that portion of the schedule.
MARTINEZ ON THE MOVE
J.D. Martinez is expected to DH on Tuesday and Wednesday for Triple-A Syracuse, marking what the Mets hope is the end of his spring progression. The Mets are off Thursday, giving Martinez a day to rest before being activated Friday for the series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field.
