New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez fractured a hamate bone in his left hand and will be out six to eight weeks, manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters Sunday.

The 23-year-old suffered the injury during batting practice on Saturday.

Alvarez quickly established himself as one of the exciting backstops in the game. In 2023, he burst onto the scene with 25 home runs (second-most among catchers) and 63 RBIs with a .209/.284/.437 slash line.

Last season, Alvarez was limited to 100 games due to injuries, recording 11 home runs and 47 RBIs with a .237/.307/.403 line.

Behind the plate, he ranked in the 88th percentile in framing.

With Alvarez sidelined, Luis Torrens projects to move into the starting lineup. He played 47 games last season, posting a 0.7 WAR. He had three home runs and 15 RBIs with a .229/.292/.373 line.

Defensively, Torres caught 13 runners stealing. He was in the 94th percentile in caught stealing above average.

However, Alvarez and Torres are the only catchers on the Mets’ current 40-man roster.

Catcher Jakson Reetz is on a minor league deal with the organization. He has appeared in eight career MLB games, including six last season with the San Francisco Giants. Reetz could become the No. 2 catcher to start the season.

The Mets could also look to add a catcher via free agency.

–Field Level Media