In the unpredictable world of baseball, setbacks are inevitable. But moments like these allow teams to test their resolve and reveal their true character. For the New York Mets, this moment has come in the form of Francisco Alvarez’s injury. This will be the second straight season where the Metropolitans will be without their catcher for a significant stretch. As disheartening as the news is, his teammate Clay Holmes has offered a perspective that hints at a silver lining. Once again, offering an insight into the Mets’ resilience.

According to manager, Carlos Mendoza, Alvarez will be out for 6–8 weeks after fracturing the hamate bone in his left hand and will undergo surgery on Monday. Holmes, who has been working closely with the catcher, was naturally disappointed upon hearing the news. “It’s definitely tough news,” Holmes said in a media appearance. “I think how much he cares kind of bleeds over in this clubhouse, and just being here a short time, you can feel that and see that.” The $38 million pro mentioned Alvarez’s desire to be involved in pitching and recognized that this was tough news for him as well.

However, Clay Holmes also offered a sense of pragmatism by understanding that this is an opportunity for the rising talents in the team. “We have some good guys here too,” he continued. “So I think it’s just going to be an opportunity for somebody to step up.” Mendoza echoed the same thought when he admitted that losing the starting pitcher was a big blow to the team. But ultimately, this is an opportunity that has presented itself, and he was confident that the “guys will step up.”

With the 23-year-old out, Luis Torrens is likely to slide into the starting role, and he happens to be the only other catcher on the franchise’s 40-man roster. However, Will Sammon of The Athletic wrote that while leaning on the 28-year-old is one option, the other options look to be Jakson Reetz, Chris Williams, and Hayden Senger. Additionally, Reetz happens to be the only other catcher (after Torrens) to have league experience.

Moving on, Alvarez missed 7 weeks last season as well after he slipped rounding first base and tore a ligament in his left thumb. His current injury is not a result of a pitch hitting him. Instead, he sustained the fracture on a swing during batting practice. As tough as the challenge will be for the Mets, they know that they have already gone through this once and will be confident to endure it once again.

Mets told to acquire veteran Gold Glove-winning catcher as Francisco Alvarez’s replacement

While the Mets are looking for someone from within to step up to the challenge, Joel Sherman of The New York Post wants their front office to be on the move for two-time MLB Gold Glove Award-winning catcher Tucker Barnhart, who signed with the Texas Rangers this off-season. Barnhart has not been very consistent as a hitter in the last few seasons. However, he is more than skilled enough to hold it down until Alvarez returns from injury.

The Mets President David Stearns offered the same optimism as Clay Holmes and Carlos Mendoza regarding the injury. But he also revealed that they were indeed looking outside for a quick fix to their unfortunate predicament. “I think we feel good about the guys we have in camp. Anytime you have an injury to a regular player, you’re going to see what’s out there. But we don’t anticipate this being an extremely lengthy injury,” Stearns said, confirming that they were indeed looking at a replacement.

The Rangers already have Jonah Heim and Kyle Higashioka as backstops in Arlington. So they will probably not mind letting Barnhart go if they get a good offer. Stearns has also admitted to looking outside for a solution. It will be interesting to see though if the Mets can overlook Barnhart’s batting decline. His offensive production was already modest at best, and they’ve continued to sharply decline in the last few years.

If they only care about his glovework, though, it will be hard to look past Barnhart. If his contract includes an opt-out clause and the path to playing time looks rough at Texas, it is very possible that Alvarez could find Barnhart as his replacement for the early season. Do you think it could help Mets troubles? Let us know in the comments.