The New York Mets have already had to deal with injuries to star catcher Francisco Alvarez this season. Now, his noticeable power slump at the plate is another cause for concern that the franchise has taken note of.
Alvarez currently has five home runs in 58 games for the Mets this season. He is sporting a career-low .435 slug percentage, but has managed to still get on base at a .333 rate. The thing is, same time last season, the Venezuelan catcher had 12 home runs in his first 58 games played, as well as 21 home runs with a .487 slug percentage by Aug. 9. So what has gone wrong for the 22-year-old?
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza knows what has held Francisco Alvarez back at the plate
Per Mike Puma of the New York Post, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza pinpointed areas of Alvarez’s mechanics that he feels are responsible for his cold spell, but ultimately spoke life into his catcher, saying this (h/t Joe Najarian of New York Mets on SI):
“I think he’s been a little off with his timing,” Mendoza said. “When he’s late, he’s not putting himself in a position where he can do damage. Mechanically, you will see this. But checking with him, his thumb, he had that left shoulder [issue] and none of that is affecting the power. He’s still going to go out there and give you good at-bats and I’m not concerned.”
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A closer look at Alvarez’s power this season
Alvarez’s power and mechanics could definitely use a second look from the Mets’ coaching staff and analytical department. Thus far, he owns a 40.7 percent hard-hit percentage. Furthermore, the Mets’ former 2018 international free agent signee sports a 21.3 percent squared-up percentage, which factors pitch and swing speed into how effective a player’s exit velocity is per hit.
The signs show that Alvarez has some work to do with his mechanics, even with a low 30 percent whiff rate to his name. They may be quick fixes that he can make prior to the conclusion of the season. The Mets (61-54) are No. 2 in the National League East standings. With only 47 games left to play in 2024, the righty talent is on pace for nine total home runs to close out the campaign.
A hot stretch can add some more meat to those bones, but most importantly, if Alvarez can return to form by the time the playoffs roll around, that will give New York a major boost when the season reaches money time.
