CHICAGO — Francisco Alvarez’s offensive nosedive has been steep but not to the point manager Carlos Mendoza is considering a change to the Mets catching structure.
“Alvarez is our guy,” Mendoza said Saturday when asked about the possibility of Luis Torrens receiving additional playing time. “Louie has done a hell of a job, but Alvarez is our guy.”
Alvarez began the day with an abysmal .435 OPS since the All-Star break and last had a multi-hit game on Aug. 7.
Alvarez had one hit in each of his last three starts (all were singles) entering play, possibly a step in the right direction.
“Even though he’s not getting results — he’s chasing at times — but I think he is getting close,” Mendoza said before the Mets topped the White Sox, 5-3, Saturday at Guaranteed Rate Field. “[Friday] there were a couple of swings where he missed a couple of pitches, a couple of sliders off the end of the bat. But I like what I’m seeing. He’s worked real hard.”
Mendoza noted that Alvarez arrived early Friday and Saturday to work on his swing mechanics.
“I firmly believe that he is getting close,” said Mendoza of Alvarez who went 0-for-4 in Saturday’s victory.
Alex Young will be recalled Sunday when rosters expand to 28 players to give the Mets a second lefty in the bullpen.
The team will also call up utilityman Pablo Reyes, according to the Post’s Joel Sherman.
Young pitched to a 1.29 ERA in seven appearances for the Mets before he was optioned to clear space for Reed Garrett’s return from the injured list.
Mendoza cited Young’s ability to pitch multiple innings and also have success against right-handers as factors that worked in his favor.
The Mets have been going with Danny Young as their only lefty in the bullpen for the last three weeks.
Reyes appeared in 21 games for the Red Sox this season and will bring speed/defense off the bench.
Edwin Diaz was unavailable to pitch Saturday after working three straight days for the first time this season.
The Mets closer worked a perfect ninth on Friday for a second straight strong outing after blowing the save on Wednesday in Arizona on Corbin Carroll’s grand slam.
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Since then Diaz has largely abandoned his slider — the pitch on which Carroll homered.
Three days earlier Jackson Merrill hit a walk-off homer in San Diego against Diaz on a slider.
Diaz utilized the pitch only once Thursday and once Friday.
But Diaz said he liked the slider he threw Friday and wanted to throw another, but deferred to Alvarez.
As for working three straight days, Diaz said he’s ready to repeat as needed.
“We are playing playoff games, so I will be ready always,” Diaz said.
