Juan Soto Faces challenge just days before MLB season starts with Mets’ key catcher injury

With the MLB season just days away, it looks like the New York Mets will start the campaign at half-speed. Additionally, their star player, Juan Soto, loses a crucial reinforcement as one of the most outstanding players on the roster gets injured. This places more burden on the rest of the team.

The 2025 season hasn’t even begun, and there’s already drama for some MLB teams. In this case, it seems the Mets will have a rocky start. Juan Soto and the rest of the guys will have to manage without a key catcher just a couple of days before the season begins.

Juan Soto loses a teammate

Only 8 days remain until baseball fans can once again enjoy all the action and excitement of the sport. While many are eager, Juan Soto and the Mets are in a real bind.

The franchise suffered a significant setback. Catcher Francisco Álvarez got injured and now must undergo surgery. According to the report, he has a fractured left hamate bone. This will sideline him for at least 6 weeks. Moreover, this incident leaves Juan Soto without a crucial reinforcement within the franchise’s offensive strategy.

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida de New York Mets (@mets)

Now, Juan Soto and the rest of the Mets roster will have to deal with Álvarez’s absence during the first part of the campaign. According to their manager, Carlos Mendoza, the catcher suffered the injury during a live practice.

The options

This injury represents a debacle for Juan Soto and the Mets because, with less than a week before the season starts, they already had a plan in place. However, even though he was a key piece, the team is focused on the big prize and supports the player’s recovery.

It’s unclear how the Mets will fill the void left by Álvarez. What is certain is that they trust Juan Soto and the rest of the roster to ensure this setback doesn’t have significant consequences. Rumor has it that with Álvarez out, the team turns to Luis Torrens as their primary catcher. But it will be a challenge both offensively and defensively.

Additionally, it is said that the Mets have a plan to support Juan Soto and the rest of the players. As they are reportedly exploring other options in the free agent market. Some names being considered are James McCann and Yasmani Grandal. Likewise, a trade could also help them in this predicament. We will have to wait and see how the season unfolds and if the Mets manage to overcome this setback.