It’s been a tough second year for Francisco Alvarez.
The Mets catcher hadn’t been to the plate since a stint on the disabled list and a torrid June. Alvarez entered Monday’s game against the Orioles with a sub-.60 OPS in July and August and just five home runs in 235 at-bats this year.
Gregory Fisher – USA TODAY Sports
Many questions have arisen about the Mets’ young catcher, especially with the high expectations placed on Alvarez heading into the 2024 season. As a 21-year-old, Alvarez had 25 home runs and a .721 OPS, vying with opposing catcher Adley Rutschman for the title of best young catcher in baseball.
But on Monday night, Alvarez took one swing and gave the Mets one of their most impactful home runs of the season.
The Mets were doing well until the seventh inning against the Orioles, when David Peterson was pitching well, but he gave up a run on a balk and then a solo home run by Ramon Urias on consecutive pitches that erased the Mets’ lead.
With the game tied at 3–3, José Boutt and Edwin Díaz did their part, giving the batting line a chance to hit a walk-off home run in the ninth before the game went into extra innings, where Alvarez hit a 421-foot home run to left field to give the Mets the win. It was Alvarez’s first walk-off RBI.
The home run was Alvarez’s first since July 26 against Atlanta and his sixth in 239 at-bats. It came on a 3-0 count when he took a 98 mph inside pitch from Serantony Dominguez. It was a good pitch, but Alvarez got it out.
More importantly, it was the confidence of manager Carlos Mendoza, who gave Alvarez the go-ahead with a 3-0 lead, and Alvarez thanked his manager after hitting the walk-off home run.
Bye and goodnight!! Alvarez wins the game for the Mets!!! pic.twitter.com/2c6YuqeOEO
— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) August 20, 2024
“I’m really grateful that Carlos gave me the go-ahead,” Alvarez said. “I was just thinking, ‘Keep the ball in the middle and don’t think about getting excited.'”
The walk-off win was incredible in the moment, but hopefully it will lead to more success for the Mets going forward. The Amazings have already gotten some extra action from Jeff McNeil in the second half, and they could use some help from a home run-hitting catcher in 2023.
The home run was the Mets’ second walk-off home run of the season, the first by J.D. Martinez against Tanner Scott and the Marlins on June 13, and the first by a Mets catcher since Tomas Nido hit one against the Tigers on May 25, 2019.
This walk-off homer wasn’t like Martinez’s, the one that kicked off a Mets run earlier this year that put New York back in the wild-card race. Alvarez’s homer did much more than that: It prevented the nasty loss that has dogged the Mets all through the 2024 season and set the tone for the rest of the series. Alvarez even ran all the way back to home plate to make sure he touched home plate.
“I don’t know if I made a mistake,” Alvarez told reporters after the fight, “but I went back and touched it.”
