ARLINGTON, Texas — After losing their first five games of the season, the Mets were on a roll as they arrived in Southern California to begin a road trip against the Dodgers on April 19.
In the second inning of the first game of that series, Francisco Alvarez stumbled rounding first base at Dodger Stadium and jammed his left thumb into the dirt.
It was the last the Mets saw of the second-year catcher in action until last week, when he returned from rehabbing the thumb following surgery to repair a ligament tear.
In games Alvarez participated before he was placed on the injured list, the Mets had won 11 straight.
The streak was broken in Alvarez’s return to the lineup on June 11, when the Mets lost to the Marlins at Citi Field.
Since then, entering Wednesday, the Mets had won seven straight games, all of them with Alvarez as a participant.
The grand total: 18-1 for the Mets in games in which Alvarez had participated since an April 4 loss to the Tigers in the first game of a doubleheader at Citi Field.
In their other games over that stretch — which featured Tomas Nido, Omar Narvaez and Luis Torrens at catcher — the Mets were 17-31. Narvaez and Nido have since been released by the Mets.
Narvaez is yet to resurface, but Nido signed with the Cubs on Wednesday. Torrens remains as the backup to Alvarez.
Manager Carlos Mendoza had refrained from starting Alvarez on back-to-back-to-back days since returning from the IL, but couldn’t resist going with Alvarez for the series finale against the Rangers on Wednesday.
Part of it was a built-in off day on Thursday, but a significant factor was not wanting to remove the 22-year-old Alvarez from the lineup.
“We definitely missed [Alvarez] when he was down and we’re seeing it now,” Mendoza said. “The leadership that he brings, for a player of that age, he’s not afraid.”
Despite his respectable power numbers last season, when he blasted 25 homers, most of Alvarez’s value to the Mets this year has been behind the plate.
He had a three-hit game Tuesday that included a game-tying two-run double in the eighth, but entered play with a .269/.305/.372 slash line with one homer and 14 RBIs.
“I feel like I am doing better offensively,” Alvarez said. “But I worry about winning every day and just doing my best behind the plate for our starting pitcher and our bullpen. I worry about that.”
Entering play, Mets pitchers had a 2.34 ERA with Alvarez behind the plate. The Mets’ team ERA was 4.11.
Adam Ottavino noted Alvarez’s significant game preparation as a reason the team’s pitchers are comfortable throwing to him.
“It’s strange where you get to the point where you are really trusting the instincts of a 22-year-old catcher,” Ottavino said. “But we are and I think he’s shown a really good feel back there. It’s just impressive. That is why you can’t just go off age and you have to get to know all your teammates and understand what they are bringing to the table. He brings a lot more to the table than a guy you would expect with his experience.”
As much as Alvarez has helped bolster the Mets since his return, the team started showing signs of rebound from a dreadful May with a three-game sweep in Washington before splitting two games in London with the Phillies.
So there is more factoring into the equation of the Mets’ recent success than just Alvarez’s presence.
But Alvarez has clearly helped.
“Alvy is a good player and the better players you have in the lineup probably lead to better outcomes,” pitching coach Jeremy Hefner said. “I think there is something to be said about his presence behind the plate … his ability to block baseballs, throw the baseball well, frame the baseball well all helps us.”