The New York Mets are slipping in the NL East race, sitting in second place at 66-58, 5.5 games back of the Philadelphia Phillies heading into Tuesday’s matchup with the Washington Nationals.
If they can’t close the gap, their playoff hopes will hinge on a wild-card spot. Right now, New York holds the third and final berth, but the Cincinnati Reds trail by just one game, raising the stakes for every contest down the stretch.
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Mets Announce Injury News on Francisco Alvarez
The Mets took a big hit on Tuesday, announcing that catcher Francisco Alvarez has been added to the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Aug. 18) due to a right thumb UCL sprain.
He will be re-evaluated in 10-14 days, but this creates a big hole in New York’s lineup, as Alvarez had been performing well in 2025.
He’s appeared in 56 games so far, accumulating 185 at-bats, 49 hits, 24 runs scored, seven home runs, 24 RBIs and 22 walks. Combining that with a .265/.349/.438 slash line and a .787 OPS, the Mets will struggle to replicate that production.
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Mets’ Replacements for Alvarez
In a corresponding move, New York recalled the catcher Hayden Senger from Triple-A Syracuse, making him and Luis Torrens the replacements.
New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Of the two, Senger’s numbers are considerably worse, appearing in 21 games at the MLB level this season, racking up just 46 at-bats, eight hits, five runs scored, two walks and an abysmal .404 OPS.
However, Torrens hasn’t proved to be amazing either, playing in 76 games, with 206 at-bats, 44 hits, 10 runs scored, 16 RBIs, 18 walks and a .581 OPS.
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The Mets’ offense has already had some serious ups and downs over the last 30 days, ranking 13th in runs scored (119), 24th in hits (199), 13th in RBIs (115), 12th in home runs (34) and tied for 16th in walks (81).
Now, New York must chug along without one of their best hitters, while also trying to stay afloat in an extremely competitive playoff race.
Related: Braves Announce Roster Move Before White Sox Game
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.