Luis Torrens Stepping Up in Alvarez’s Absence
With Francisco Alvarez likely out until May due to a fractured hamate bone in his left hand that necessitated surgery, the Mets need someone to step up and fill his role at the start of the regular season. Fortunately, they have a capable catcher on the active roster in Luis Torrens, and we’ve seen enough from him this spring to suggest he can handle the job effectively.
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized
Torrens’ Thursday couldn’t have gone much better. He went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and three RBIs, boosting his overall slash line to a solid .275/.326/.400 this spring.
In the second inning, Torrens kicked off his day against Nationals southpaw Shinnosuke Ogasawara with a leadoff single to right. He came around to score a few batters later on a Luisangel Acuña single.
With the long second inning, he came up again in the third with a man on first and somehow roped a triple to right-center, bringing Pete Alonso all the way home from first. Torrens got another at-bat in the fourth, where he singled in a run before being pulled after catching for one more inning.
The Mets acquired Torrens from the New York Yankees last year for cash. It’s safe to say the deal has worked in the Mets’ favor. For a while, it even looked like the Mets had found a diamond in the rough. As late as July 31 last year, he carried an OPS in the high .800s, racking up extra-base hits left and right. Though he finished the season with a more modest .665 mark after a challenging final two months backing up Alvarez, it was still clear that Torrens possessed some offensive upside.
Torrens pairs above-average plate discipline (24.7% chase rate) with the ability to hit the ball hard, as evidenced by his 46.2% hard-hit rate. His standout skill, however, is his quick pop time and knack for catching runners on the base paths—he ranked in the 94th percentile last season. For comparison, Alvarez ranked in the 58th percentile in caught stealing percentage.
While Alvarez’s injury is obviously a tough blow for the team, every setback presents new opportunities for new players, and Torrens will look to seize his chance. He’s one of the better catchers the Mets have had in some time, and he shouldn’t be taken for granted, even if he is not quite at Alvarez’s level.
The post Luis Torrens Stepping Up in Alvarez’s Absence appeared first on Metsmerized Online.