NEW YORK — The New York Mets took catcher Francisco Alvarez off the injured list before the game against St. Louis, but Kodai Senga experienced a setback in his rehab from a back injury.
The 24-year-old Alvarez returned to the lineup exactly four weeks after sustaining a torn meniscus in his right knee while taking a swing against the Detroit Tigers. He started behind the plate and batted ninth, going 1 for 3 in a 7-0 loss to the Cardinals.
Alvarez had surgery May 14 and was expected to miss six-to-eight weeks. Already known as a quick healer following his recovery from hand and thumb injuries the last two seasons, Alvarez was taking dry swings within days of the operation and began hitting within two weeks.
“I always want to get back as quickly as possible to help the team,” he said through an interpreter.
Alvarez went 3 for 13 in four rehab games at Triple-A Syracuse. He played six innings at catcher in his first appearance and seven in the next two games before catching all nine innings.
“He’s unbelievable,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Four weeks later, not only he’s playing, he’s playing on the big league level. He checked all the boxes.
“You’ve got to give him credit — credit to our trainers and our group there — because I don’t think anybody saw this coming.”
Alvarez is expected to get the majority of the starts behind home plate going forward. Luis Torrens and Hayden Senger combined to bat .215 with two homers and 10 RBIs with Alvarez on the IL. Senger was optioned to Syracuse in a corresponding transaction.
“I feel good. I feel like my legs are strong enough,” Alvarez said. “I don’t think there’s anything that’s weak right now.”
The news was less encouraging for Senga, sidelined by lumbar spine inflammation since April 27. He was scheduled to make a rehab appearance for Double-A Binghamton before experiencing what he called a “small reaction” in the ulnar nerve while doing his between-starts work.
Senga via an interpreter said he “wouldn’t go as far as saying it’s inflammation. It’s relatively minor.”
The right-hander played catch and is expected to do so again.
Mendoza said the Mets haven’t ended Senga’s rehab assignment, and the team hopes he can resume pitching in minor league games this week.
“He’s kind of day to day,” the manager explained.
Senga has a 5.25 ERA in three rehab starts between Syracuse and Class A St. Lucie. He was 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA in five starts for the Mets before going on the injured list, and is 0-7 with a 6.94 ERA in his last 14 big league starts since straining his right hamstring while covering first base last June 12.
“I think the front office would agree that they would like to see some results and so would I,” Senga said. “I think we’re on the same page there.”
Star shortstop Francisco Lindor, who hasn’t played since he strained his left calf running the bases on April 22, is expected to participate in full baseball activities — including on-field batting practice. Lindor and Juan Soto, who missed 15 games in April with a right calf injury, have played just seven full games together this season.
First baseman and designated hitter Jorge Polanco, who experienced soreness in his left ankle while on a rehab assignment for the left Achilles injury that’s sidelined him since April 15, underwent an MRI on the Achilles that revealed nothing more than inflammation.
Mendoza acknowledged Polanco, who was expected to shift to first base and replace Pete Alonso upon signing a two-year deal worth $40 million in December, likely would be limited to DH duties for the foreseeable future.
Mets reliever Joey Gerber exited prior to the start of the ninth inning when a blister began flaring up on his right hand. Gerber spent time on the injured list due to the blister in April.
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