Mets' Francisco Alvarez needs thumb surgery; no return timeline

Mets’ Francisco Alvarez needs thumb surgery; no return timeline

New York Mets starting catcher Francisco Alvarez has a torn ligament in his left thumb and will require surgery, the team announced Saturday.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said there was no timetable for Alvarez’s return but added that he was “pretty confident” Alvarez would play again this season.

Omar Narváez started in place of Alvarez and went 0-for-2 in Saturday’s 6-4 win over the Dodgers.

“It’s tough, and it won’t be probably the last hard news that we have,” Mets left fielder Brandon Nimmo said. “That’s unfortunately the case of being in a marathon and a 162-game season. … It is unfortunate. I love the way that he’s playing the game, I love the way he’s growing as a player, but these kind of things happen, and it’s just another obstacle you have to overcome.”

Alvarez, 22, appeared to suffer the injury in the second inning of the Mets’ 9-4 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. While running the bases, he stumbled while going around first, then planted his left hand on the ground to stabilize himself before continuing to second base.

Alvarez was placed on the 15-day injured list earlier Saturday. In a corresponding move, the Mets selected catcher Tomas Nido from Triple-A Syracuse and designated left-hander Kolton Ingram for assignment.

In 16 games this season, Alvarez is batting .236 with a home run and eight RBIs. He assumed the starter role as a rookie last season, batting .209 with 25 homers and 63 RBIs in 123 games.

Nido, 30, is hitting .345 with a home run and two RBIs in nine games at Syracuse. He has spent parts of the past seven seasons with the Mets and has a career average of .213 in 274 games.

Ingram, a 27-year-old reliever, was 1-0 with a 7.20 in five innings stretched over four games at Syracuse.

The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this story.