Francisco Alvarez keeps putting his name in places usually reserved for the game’s elite.
The Mets catcher went deep twice Friday night against the San Francisco Giants, and that performance pushed him into rare company in MLB history. According to Sarah Langs, Alvarez now has seven multi-homer games before turning 25, tying him with Hall of Famers Gary Carter and Johnny Bench for the most by a catcher at that age.
“Most multi-homer games as catcher before turning 25: Johnny Bench: 8. Francisco Alvarez: 7. Gary Carter: 7,” Langs shared.
That’s the kind of list that jumps off the page. Carter and Bench are not just Hall of Famers; they’re two of the most accomplished catchers the sport has ever seen. For Alvarez to show up alongside them says plenty about the kind of power he’s brought to New York.
Alvarez is 24 now and will turn 25 after the 2026 MLB season ends, so he still has a shot to keep climbing. With 21 games left in the season, he needs one more two-homer game to match Bench’s mark. If he gets another after that, he’d reach nine multi-homer games in his career and set an MLB record.
The Mets may have little to play for in the final month of the season, but Alvarez does. He was mentioned in trade rumors at the deadline, and how he finishes could shape what New York decides about its roster going forward.
Since debuting at 20 in 2022, Alvarez has given the Mets plenty to think about. He has 4.0 bWAR and 63 home runs in his career, including 15 this season. He hit 11 homers in both 2024 and 2025, and he set a career high with 25 in 2023.
For now, the headline is simple: Alvarez has reached a rare statistical threshold that links him to Bench and Carter. That’s notable on its own. The fact that he still has time to add to it makes the rest of this season worth watching.
In Other News...
Mets Face An Offseason Debate Fans Have Been Dreading
The Mets are heading into the offseason with the kind of roster questions that tend to linger well past the first winter meetings rumor. Chelsea Janes of SNY said the front office may not be inclined to make sweeping changes, even as fan frustration grows over a group that still feels incomplete. Instead, the conversation appears likely to center on a handful of young players and whether the club sees enough reason to keep everyone in the fold.
Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio were mentioned as possible non-tender candidates, while Brett Baty could get another year to sort things out. At the same time, moving veterans with bigger contracts is never simple, which leaves the Mets looking at a market that may require creativity more than splash. For a team trying to get better without tearing everything down, that can make for a tricky winter and an even trickier set of decisions. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Just Drew A Clear Line Around Lindor And One Teammate
David Stearns made one thing plain this week: Francisco Lindor is staying right where the Mets want him. The team president said there is no question Lindor will be the everyday shortstop next season, a statement that cuts off any trade speculation and underscores how central Lindor remains to the clubs plans.
Jorge Polanco, by contrast, was left in a far less certain spot. Stearns did not lock in a defensive role for Polanco, calling that part of his status to be determined, which leaves open a real question about how the Mets will use him after an injury-hampered 2026 season that limited both his time in the field and his offensive impact. [Read more 🡒]
Brett Baty Is Running Out Of Chances With The Mets
Brett Batys season has settled into the kind of uneasy middle ground that does little to clarify his place with the Mets. He has flashed enough at times to remind the club why his bat and defensive flexibility still matter, but the overall offensive production has been too uneven for him to lock down a true everyday role.
What makes Batys situation more complicated is that his versatility has not translated into stability, and the Mets have other players forcing their way into the lineup. There have been signs of improvement lately, which at least keeps the conversation open, but the bigger question is whether those gains arrive soon enough to secure him a meaningful spot in the clubs plans. [Read more 🡒]
