Starling Marte is not the only question-riddled righty slugger with a sky-high ceiling the Mets are trusting for the postseason.
Five major league games was all Francisco Alvarez required to prove to the club he belonged on the playoff roster.
The 20-year-old was carried as a third catcher and a bat off the bench. He was manager Buck Showalter’s first righty pinch-hitter Friday when, with runners on the corners against Padres righty Luis Garcia, Alvarez struck out in the ninth inning to end the 7-1 loss at Citi Field.
Alvarez could be the starting designated hitter for Saturday’s game against lefty Blake Snell.
Showalter said the Padres’ carrying four lefty relievers, including dominant closer Josh Hader, influenced the decision to give the No. 1 prospect a chance.
“It allows us to do some things earlier,” the Mets manager said, referring to pinch-hitting, before the loss. “Looking at where we may match up late.”
Alvarez was summoned last Friday to debut in Atlanta, where the power hitter went 0-for-7 and appeared overeager, swinging at the first pitch in each of his at-bats.
On Tuesday, though, Alvarez connected for his first major league hit — a home run — before doubling in the same game against the Nationals. A day later, he walked twice in four plate appearances, and the Mets began to see improved at-bats.
“He’s handled himself well. I really liked his selectiveness the last couple games,” Showalter said before Alvarez sat behind starting catcher Tomas Nido and starting DH Daniel Vogelbach. “It’ll get sped back up again, but he’s going to be a good one. Just a matter of when — I hope it’s the next three games.”
Showalter declined to reveal whether or not Alvarez would get the nod Saturday against Snell, but said he is “certainly a good option.” A lineup that does not have much pop could gamble on a hitter who slugged 27 home runs in 495 plate appearances between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse this season.
The Mets, who left Mark Vientos off the playoff roster, could turn to Alvarez or Darin Ruf, whose injured list stint prompted the call-up of Alvarez. Ruf, whom the Mets said had a strained neck, has been activated.
“He’s been taking some at-bats for a while, the last four or five days,” Showalter said of Ruf, who has been woeful as a Met but is 3-for-7 with three walks and a home run lifetime against Snell.
Source: New York Post
