Francisco Alvarez Shines in Rehab Game as Syracuse Claims Victory

Francisco Alvarez returned to the field on Sunday afternoon, continuing his minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse. The 24-year-old catcher, looking to regain his form, enjoyed a much-needed strong performance at the plate after struggling in his previous two outings.

Although Alvarez was retired in his first two at-bats, he showed patience by drawing a walk before being left stranded in scoring position. He broke through in the eighth inning, connecting with a third-pitch fastball and driving it back up the middle. A few batters later, he crossed home plate following a homer from Matt Rudick, contributing to Syracuse’s offensive surge.

Prior to Alvarez’s pivotal hit, Syracuse had regained the lead thanks to a sacrifice bunt from Ryan Clifford. Alvarez ended the game with a line of 1-for-3 at the plate, adding a walk and showcasing his defensive skills by catching a runner too far off first base with a sharp back-pick.

While the Mets haven’t set a specific date for Alvarez’s return, there’s optimism that he could rejoin the lineup during the upcoming six-game homestand if his progress continues as planned.

On the mound, Syracuse prospect Zach Thornton delivered an impressive bounce-back performance, allowing only two walks and two hits while striking out five over five scoreless innings. Tobias Myers followed suit, giving up just one unearned run and striking out one in his two innings of work, marking his second appearance since being demoted from the Mets.

As the game approached its conclusion, Dylan Ross was called in to secure the final out. Despite facing some challenges, including an RBI double and two walks, Ross struck out George Lombard Jr. to seal the victory for Syracuse, earning his first save of the season, although he has now issued a concerning 16 walks over 18 outings.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.