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The New York Mets are not just waiting for Francisco Álvarez to hit. They are waiting for him to justify the risk that comes with keeping his bat in the lineup.

That is the uncomfortable takeaway from Mike Puma’s New York Post column on the Mets’ struggling young core. Puma focused on Álvarez, Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio as part of a larger problem, but Álvarez stands out for a different reason.

He plays the one position where offensive upside cannot be separated from defensive responsibility.

Francisco Álvarez Is Becoming a Bigger Mets Question

GettyFrancisco Alvarez #4 of the New York Mets celebrates as he trots around the bases after hitting a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the fourth inning at Oracle Park on April 03, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Álvarez entered the season as one of the Mets’ most important young players. The idea was simple enough. If he could grow into a reliable power-hitting catcher, the Mets would have a premium bat at a premium position.

That version of Álvarez still exists in theory. It has just become harder to count on in practice.

Puma noted that Álvarez started fast before cooling off offensively and defensively. His strikeout rate has improved, which matters for a young power hitter. But the larger concern is that his hard-hit rate has dropped, raising questions about whether the Mets can still project him as a consistent 25-home run presence.

That matters because Álvarez’s offensive ceiling has always carried the argument for patience. If he hits enough, the Mets can live with some defensive growing pains. If the bat becomes ordinary, the equation changes quickly.

The problem is not just that Álvarez is slumping. It is that the slump forces the Mets to reexamine what kind of player they actually have.

Luis Torrens Extension Adds Pressure

GettyLuis Torrens #13 of the New York Mets celebrates in the dugout after scoring on a single by Bo Bichette #19 in the top of the fifth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on April 04, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

The Mets made that question louder by giving Luis Torrens a two-year extension.

Puma pointed out that Torrens is the superior defensive catcher, and that detail should not get overlooked. Álvarez ranks in MLB’s fifth percentile for blocking balls in the dirt, according to Puma, while sitting around league average in throwing out base stealers.

That creates a real roster tension.

Torrens does not need to be a star to change the conversation. He only needs to give the Mets cleaner defense behind the plate while Álvarez searches for consistency. For a team sitting at 11-21, that difference becomes harder to ignore.

This is where Álvarez’s situation separates from Baty, Vientos and Mauricio. A struggling corner bat can sometimes be hidden. A catcher cannot. Every missed block, every passed opportunity to control the running game and every quiet night at the plate becomes part of the same evaluation.

The Mets do not need to give up on Álvarez. That would be an overreaction. He is still only 24, and catchers often develop slower than players at less demanding positions.

But they also cannot treat his status as automatic.

Álvarez was supposed to be part of the Mets’ next core. Now, he has to prove he can remain more than a former top prospect with power potential. The Mets need production. They need stability. Most of all, they need Álvarez to give them a reason to keep betting on the ceiling.