Francisco Alvarez’s struggles this season have undoubtedly led to a dip in playing time, and he’s been especially ineffective against fastballs, with a .275 slugging percentage against those pitches on the year.
Getting a start after two straight games off — and just his second in nearly a week — Alvarez grounded out on the first pitch of his first two at-bats in Monday’s 2-1 win over the White Sox.
But he sparked the game-tying rally in the eighth with a leadoff single to left off Chicago lefty Cam Booser, a 109 mph shot off a 97 mph four-seamer.
“It’s still early in the year,’’ Alvarez said of his lack of success. “We shouldn’t talk about numbers now. We can talk about numbers at the end of the year. In September we can see if I don’t hit the fastball.”
Perhaps Monday’s single will get Alvarez going after another discouraging start to the season after the catcher made some swing adjustments heading into this season in an attempt to get his power back and become a more complete hitter.
It followed a drop-off in production after his 25-homer rookie year.
And after sitting in back-to-back games in favor of Luis Torrens, Alvarez entered Monday in a 2-for-25 funk that’s caused his OPS to drop to .625.
He’s well aware of his offensive struggles.
Still, he insisted he’s not panicking.
“I feel very calm,’’ Alvarez said prior to the game. “I know I’m gonna get to where I want to be. I believe in myself and I believe in what I’m doing and I’m going to keep doing it.”
His confidence hasn’t wavered.
“Right now, I need to believe in myself,’’ Alvarez said. “That’s my only thought right now. I believe in myself and know I’m gonna get right.”
He’s seen his playing time reduced, in part because Alvarez has slumped, while Yankee castoff Torrens has proven to be solid in all facets of the game.
The Mets are still waiting on Alvarez to fulfill the potential he’s shown at times in his young career. While his average exit velocity is a career-best 92.1 mph, his power has continued to plummet.
And Carlos Mendoza acknowledged Monday that work needs to be done.
“He’s just being inconsistent, especially in being on time to hit the fastball,’’ Mendoza said. “That’s the biggest thing.”
Alvarez’s inability to hit the fastball this season is in contrast to the .534 slugging percentage on those pitches a year ago.
“One thing we’ve seen here is him not get to a position to pull the trigger and make good swing decisions,’’ Mendoza said. “I just feel they’re throwing fastballs by him.”
Not on Monday, as Alvarez got to 2-2 against Booser before the leadoff single.
“His ability to work an at-bat was good,’’ Mendoza said. “It’s a good sign he got to a good fastball, but it starts with getting there on time. That allows you to make good swing decisions.”
Mendoza said he remains supportive of Alvarez and the alterations he’s made to his swing.
“When you go through an adjustment the way he did in the offseason, a complete transformation of his swing, it’s gonna take time,” Mendoza said.
The manager also pointed to Alvarez’s lost time during the spring when he fractured his hamate bone, which caused him to miss most of the first month of the regular season.
The lack of playing time has hurt Alvarez, according to Mendoza.
“He’s still getting a feel for his mechanics,’’ Mendoza said. “I truly believe he’s gonna get there. We’ve got to give him time.”
