Alvarez’s Two Clutch Hits Fuel Win Over Nationals

The Mets tore up the league in the month of the June. They went 16-8, skyrocketed to the top of the National League wild-card hunt, and averaged a ridiculous 6.38 runs per game.

Right in the middle of their success was their young phenom catcher, Francisco Alvarez. The 22-year-old came back off the injured list on June 11, and slashed .375/.456/.667/1.123 with three homers and five doubles in 48 at-bats the rest of the month.

The Mets went 12-4 with him starting in June. And when the calendar turned to July on Monday, Alvarez stayed hot and provided the Mets with two clutch hits.

The first came in the top of the sixth, where the Mets were trailing 2-1 and previously were being shutout by MacKenzie Gore. It was a ringing double into the left-center gap against Derek Law, which scored two to give the Mets a 3-2 lead.

The double gave the Mets life after they had no answer for flamethrower lefty Gore. It was the first lead of the game for New York, and a crucial base knock that eventually led the Mets to extra innings.

In those extra innings, Alvarez provided the Mets with another crucial base knock. With two outs, and a fresh three-run lead via a J.D. Martinez homer, Alvarez stepped up to the plate. He launched a flyball off the right-field wall this time, scoring Taylor while legging out his first career triple.

The triple at the time didn’t seem consequential, but it played a major role in the Mets’ win on Monday. It extended the inning, allowing Jose Iglesias to club his first Mets homer and increase the lead to 9-3. Those extra runs came in handy, as the Mets bullpen struggled and allowed four runs before Reed Garrett shut the door with the winning run at the plate.

Alvarez finished Monday with a 2-for-5 night, including his first career triple and three RBIs. It was another massive performance from the Mets catcher and got the Mets back to an even record (41-41).

Since getting his bat back, the Mets lineup has looked different. He, along with the arrival of Mark Vientos, have instantly evolved this lineup, something that manager Carlos Mendoza referred to after the game.

“Super important. They’re right in the middle of it,” Mendoza said on Alvarez and Vientos. “There’s a reason why we started playing better. I don’t think it’s coincidence.”

If the Mets continue their winning ways, Alvarez will certainly be a piece of it. In 33 games this season, he’s slashing .306/.372/.528/.900 with four homers and a 160 OPS+. Those are All-Star quality numbers, which Alvarez very well could have been if not for an injury at Dodger Stadium earlier in the season.

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