PORT ST. LUCIE — Luis Torrens helped inject life into the Mets’ season last year but now faces even larger responsibilities with the team.
With Francisco Alvarez sidelined for 6-8 weeks after he fractured the hamate bone in his left hand last weekend, it will be the 28-year-old Torrens at catcher for an extended stretch to begin the season. It’s hardly ideal, but also not a daunting proposal for the Mets given the credibility Torrens established last year.
Alvarez was scheduled to undergo surgery on the hand Monday in Pennsylvania before rejoining the team at spring training to begin his rehab.
“We feel pretty comfortable with [Torrens],” manager Carlos Mendoza said at Clover Park. “He’s a guy that does a really good job handling a pitching staff, just like Alvi, his leadership skills. This is a guy who can receive and he can really throw.
“And then offensively, this is a guy that gave us some really good at-bats, so I am very confident with Louie behind the plate and we have got to take care of him, too.”
Torrens excelled in controlling the running game, throwing out 13-of-28 (46.4 percent) would-be base stealers last season. The MLB average for catchers was only 20.3 percent.
Offensively, the Mets received early results from Torrens following his May 31 arrival in a deal with the Yankees, but his numbers leveled off considerably in the second half. Overall, he produced a .229/.292/.373 slash line with three homers and 15 RBIs in 130 plate appearances.
“This is a great opportunity for me to be able to go out there every day and try to help this team win, try to keep those expectations high for the team and when [Alvarez] comes back, the plan is to leave this team in a good position,” Torrens said through an interpreter.
Torrens added that the relationship he built with many of the pitchers last season provides him with a certain comfort level.
“I think since last year we have been able to build that,” Torrens said. “Since I got here we have been working really hard at it and since this spring training began we have been able to strengthen that.”
Alvarez missed seven weeks last season after undergoing surgery in April to repair a torn thumb ligament. The Mets used the tandem of Tomás Nido and Omar Narváez during most of that stretch. But it was Torrens’ insertion into the lineup in early June that helped spark the team until Alvarez returned.
“[Torrens] was playing a lot and he showed he can handle it,” Mendoza said. “He was getting huge hits for us and at that point is when we kind of turned our season around, he was a big reason why. There were a lot of different reasons and he was one of them, so I think this is a real good opportunity for him and we know he can do it.”
The Mets are expected to evaluate backup catcher options that might become available, but otherwise will choose between Jakson Reetz, Hayden Senger and Chris Williams — all of whom are in camp — for the position.
Reetz and Senger are highly regarded for their receiving and defense, the primary attributes sought for the backup role.
“You are looking for someone that can lead a pitching staff, take care of the pitchers, game calling, receiving, blocking, throwing,” Mendoza said. “The whole picture.”
