As first reported by MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, Álvarez broke his left pinky during Wednesday night’s game with Triple-A Syracuse. He went 1-for-2 with a double in his first two at-bats before being hit in the hand by an 89 mph sinker, forcing him to exit in the sixth inning.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed that Álvarez has a small fracture that will sideline him for at least 2 to 3 days. DiComo noted that Álvarez played catch earlier Thursday, though a trainer handled the receiving duties. He will see a doctor later in the afternoon.
Carlos Mendoza confirms Francisco Alvarez has a small fracture on his left pinky and will be sidelined for at least 2-3 days
Álvarez, 23, landed on the 10-day injured list after spraining the ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb while sliding into second base during the Little League Classic on Aug. 17. That injury will require surgery at the end of the season but will be a matter of pain tolerance until then, as the Mets remain hopeful he can contribute to their postseason push.
After beginning the 2025 campaign on the IL with a fractured hamate bone, Álvarez struggled upon his return to the lineup and was even demoted on June 22, spending nearly a month addressing his offensive and defensive woes in Triple-A. The former top prospect responded by going 20-for-67 (.299) with 11 home runs during that brief stint and was ultimately recalled on July 22.
In 56 games with the Mets this season, Álvarez has hit .265/.349/.438 (.787 OPS) with seven home runs and 24 RBIs. The right-handed slugger slashed .323/.408/.645 in his first 21 games back from his minor league demotion before his latest IL stint sidelined him again.
Álvarez has dealt with numerous hand injuries throughout his career. In addition to his hamate, thumb, and pinky injuries in 2025, he broke his thumb early in 2024, which required surgery and ultimately impacted his swing upon his return. He hit 25 home runs as a rookie but was limited to just 11 over 100 games last season.
In his absence, the Mets have been splitting catching duties between Luis Torrens and Hayden Senger.
Torrens, 29, has a .602 OPS over 80 games this season. Defensively, he ranks among the league’s best in caught stealing above average (100th percentile), framing (87th percentile), and pop time (97th percentile).
Senger, 28, is credited with five defensive runs saved in his first 25 MLB games. He is 11-for-61 (.180) at the plate with the Mets but has fared slightly better in Triple-A, posting a .618 OPS over 43 games this season.
