Francisco Alvarez Sitting for Mets Season Finale

Francisco Alvarez is not in the starting lineup for the New York Mets' Sunday game against the Nationals, as Luis Torrens steps in behind the plate to catch for Sean Manaea. Alvarez reached the century mark in games played for the third time in four years, but his strikeout rate shot up to a career-high 30.7 percent in 2026, causing a drop of more than 20 points in his batting average compared to the 2025 season.