Luis Torrens is up for his unexpected Mets challenge
NY Post
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 underwent surgery to remove the bone on Monday in Pennsylvania and will rejoin the team later this week 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.
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