ANGRY MIKE
Francisco Alvarez continues his warpath efforts to return to the Mets lineup, positioning himself to be activated for arguably the 2 biggest series remaining on the Mets schedule. After catching back-to-back games for Syracuse and launching a 106 MPH grand slam in last start, the Mets gladly welcome back their young catcher and clubhouse leader for their weekend series versus the Reds.
What Alvarez is attempting to do is nothing short of legendary, and has only been attempted by a handful of players in the past, and none of them were catchers.
“El Troll”, tore the UCL in his right thumb trying to stretch a single into a double on a head-first slide. As if that wasn’t enough, Alvarez was then hit on his left hand during a rehab start, causing a micro-fracture in his left pinkie. Prior to his UCL injury, Alvarez was able to regain the power stroke during a brief stint in the Minors, prodigious power that made him the #1 Overall Prospect in the MLB and the only catching prospect to have ever received a 70-power scouting grade. “Mets Nation” was able to breathe easier knowing the surgically removed hamate bone from his left wrist would not derail Alvarez’ career. Many “Google-trained M.D.’s” even ignorantly posted on social media that a hamate bone surgery injury killed many other players’ careers, which is simply not the case.
Now the concern shifts to Alvarez’ recent U.C.L. injury to his right thumb, and 3 simple questions summarize that concern:
A. What is the long-term prognosis and does it change if Alvarez delays surgery?
B. Are there any recent examples of M.L.B. players playing through the injury and how did they perform while playing through the injury?
Fortunately the long-term prognosis remains positive, as many high-profile players have had more severe versions of Alvarez’ injury and were able to remain their top form after having surgery, including Alvarez himself who showed no ill-effects from tearing the UCL in his left hand last season. Bryce Harper, Salvador Perez, and Luis Arraez are a few recent examples of players who have successfully resumed their careers after surgery.
Below are the primary challenges Alvarez will face while playing through the injury:
Biggest Issues Associated with Playing Through the Injury
Playing through a UCL thumb injury (skier’s thumb or gamekeeper’s thumb) poses risks due to the ligament’s role in thumb stability:
- Pain and Reduced Grip Strength: Persistent pain can impair batting, catching, and throwing, critical for a catcher like Alvarez.
- Joint Instability: Leads to poor thumb opposition, increasing error rates in fielding and throwing.
- Risk of Worsening Damage: Partial tears can become complete, necessitating surgery and longer recovery (e.g., 6-8 weeks vs. potential season-ending).
- Performance Decline: Hitters may see drops in power and average; catchers risk arm strain from compensatory mechanics.
- Long-Term Complications: Chronic instability may lead to arthritis or recurrent injuries, as seen in Alvarez’s history.
Methods to Play Through the Injury
Conservative approaches allow return without surgery for sprains (unlike full tears):
- Bracing/Taping: Custom thumb spica brace or tape to stabilize the joint during play.
- Pain Management: NSAIDs, cortisone injections, or ice therapy to reduce inflammation.
- Rehabilitation: Strengthening exercises for grip and forearm; gradual return via simulated games.
- Modified Play: Limit throwing intensity or use as DH initially to avoid stress.
- Monitoring: Regular MRIs to ensure no progression to tear; rest periods if symptoms worsen.
At the end of the day, any analytics-based projections or medical experts and former players speculating on how Alvarez will perform don’t mean a bloody thing when it comes to predicting how Alvarez will be able to manage the pain and perform his duties. If you want to get scientific, Alvarez has a great chance of being able to contribute at a high level, based on how Pedroia, Rendon, and Seager performed despite delaying their respective surgeries. Doctors wouldn’t have cleared our prized youngster to play, if they thought the element of risk to his future career was too high or if there was a zero percent chance of Alvarez being able to perform at a high level. The 109 MPH exit velocity on his single and 106 MPH exit velocity on his grand slam provides hope his level of play won’t be impacted detrimentally by his recent injuries.
What about the spiritual side of things?
“How do you gauge someone’s will to live…”
Alvarez isn’t a leader in the clubhouse because he’s particularly charismatic like Francisco Lindor, nor his particularly diplomatic like Brandon Nimmo, and he’s simply too young to command respect because he’s an elder statesman like Pete Alonso. Alvarez is the heart and soul of that clubhouse because of his fighting spirit and passion. He’s a warrior, with super-human strength, and his mutant power is an overwhelming “sense of will”.
That “sense of will” is what enabled him to beat the odds to become one of the most talented youngsters in all of baseball.
That “sense of will” is why his teammates respect him as much as they do and why they trust in his leadership abilities, despite Alvarez being one of the youngest players on the team.
That “sense of will” is what will enable him to not only play through the pain, but return to being an high-impact difference-maker on both sides of the ball.
Are there any guarantees Alvarez can pull this off? No of course not. But I for one will not be betting against this kid, and I look forward to Alvy proving the naysayers wrong once again.
Lastly, the 3 players listed above who also delayed surgery, just so happened to win the World Series that year.
Coincidence?
That’s a “GUNFIGHTER” answer…
