Francisco Alvarez offers enouraging sign with blast in Mets win over Phillies

Francisco Alvarez’s defensive metrics have ticked up during the second half, which the Mets credit to a more upright stance in his crouch that cuts down on head movement.As a catcher, he is taking steps that are hard for the average fan (or diehard, for that matter) to notice.What the fans have noticed is a deep slump and far too many swings that only hit air.

In his previous 25 games entering play, Alvarez’s OPS had tanked 90 points because of an 11-for-85 (.129) slide in which he struck out 41 times, walked just six and owned a .410 OPS, a span in which he has been subject to some boos after strikeouts.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.

In terms of fan frustration, Alvarez was not helped by Luis Torrens — among the best defensive catchers in the sport — getting hot, lifting his own OPS above .700 and making an early argument that next season he should get at least as many reps, if not more, than Alvarez.Which probably made Alvarez’s fifth-inning at-bat Saturday, in which the former No.1 prospect in all of baseball got a fastball on the outside edge, went with it and muscled out an opposite-field home run that not many hitters can do, especially encouraging for the Mets and their ostensibly starting catcher.The turning point in a 10-3 Mets win over the Phillies at Citi Field was the swing from Alvarez, who sent an Andrew Painter four-seamer atop the Cadillac Club in right for a go-ahead shot that reminded of the kind of power he has always possessed.It was No.

16 for Alvarez in his 108th game, which is a 24-homer pace.For a catcher who the Mets believe is better than most defensively, this kind of season demonstrates that even a lesser form of Alvarez is still a valuable player.

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