WASHINGTON (AP) — The New York Mets activated catcher Francisco Alvarez and second baseman Jeff McNeil from the injured list Friday, and both were in the lineup to make their season debut in the opener of a four-game series against the Washington Nationals.
“Pretty excited,” McNeil said. “Feels like Opening Day for me because it is.”
Alvarez fractured the hamate bone in his left hand during practice on March 8 and underwent surgery two days later. McNeil had been out since straining his right oblique March 10 in a spring training game.
The Mets have thrived despite the absence of both lineup mainstays. New York has won seven in a row and entered Friday 18-7, five games ahead of second-place Philadelphia in the NL East.
“I think we’ve been playing really well and I think we’ve put ourselves in a very good position,” Alvarez said via an interpreter.
The 23-year-old Alvarez hit .237 with 11 home runs and 47 RBIs last season. He hit .179 with a homer and three RBIs in 10 games during a rehabilitation assignment over three minor league levels this month.
McNeil, a two-time All-Star who has played in at least 120 games for the Mets in each full season since 2019, hit .238 with 12 homers and 44 RBIs in 2024. The 33-year-old hit .393 with two homers and three RBIs in eight rehab games over three levels since April 11.
“They are a big part of this team,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Even when they weren’t playing, they were around. Last year, they were a big part of this team. That’s what it’s going to take. It’s going to take more than 26 guys.”
Mendoza said it is possible McNeil plays some in center field. While he has played the outfield in 294 games during his seven-year career, he made his only three appearances in center in 2023.
Alvarez will split time with Luis Torrens, who has hit .241 with a homer and eight RBIs as the Mets’ primary catcher the last four weeks.
“I’m going to try to keep him as active as possible,” Mendoza said. “He played really well for us and he earned opportunities. We’re getting Alvy back, and he’s going to get opportunities as well. I think that’s a good problem to have. I could see both of them playing.”
To create room on the roster, New York optioned infielder Brett Baty and catcher Hayden Senger to Triple-A Syracuse after a 4-3 victory Wednesday over Philadelphia.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb