The New York Mets (67-60) are limping through August, posting a brutal 5-13 record in the month. They continue to give the Cincinnati Reds (67-61) opportunities to pass them in the standings, and although the latter has blown chances themselves over the last few weeks, they will eventually make the National League East club pay for their continued missteps. A catching injury could make it even harder for the blue and orange to break out from this extended funk.
Former top prospect Francisco Alvarez tore a ligament in his thumb and is currently on the 10-day injured list. He will attempt to play through the pain and forego surgery until the offseason, but president of baseball operations David Stearns is preparing for the worst-case scenario regardless. The Mets are reuniting with a man they first signed more than a decade ago, agreeing to a minor league contract with Ali Sanchez, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic.
The Venezuelan catcher joined New York as an international free agent in 2013 and made his MLB debut in 2020. He batted .111 in just five games with the team and has bounced around MLB for the last few years. He spent brief stints on the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox this season — only one game with the latter — and is now ready to make the most out of this Mets reunion. Sanchez may have to wait a bit before getting a call from Flushing, however.
The Mets' catching situation is a bit shaky amid rough stretch
Veteran Luis Torrens (also Venezuelan) and rookie Hayden Senger are currently manning duties behind home plate for manager Carlos Mendoza. The former appeared to suffer an injury himself after getting hit in the glove on a catcher's interference call. He appears to be alright but is not in the starting lineup for Friday's road game versus the Atlanta Braves (58-69).
A shorthanded Mets team is a bit distressing to think about, as they were struggling mightily even when Alvarez was available. Apart from a brief reconciliation with good baseball last weekend, which saw New York win two of three against the Seattle Mariners, this club has stumbled since the end of July. Owner Steve Cohen desperately hopes this week's series loss to the last-place Washington Nationals is the franchise's rock bottom in 2025.
The Mets will once again ask rookie Nolan McLean to give them a vital spark, as they square off with the Braves in Truist Park. In the meantime, the returning Ali Sanchez will get himself reacquainted with New York's farm system and brace himself for a potential return to The Show.
