Mets to place C Omar Narváez on the injured list with a medium-to-high grade calf strain

Omar Narváez is expected to miss 8-9 weeks, according to the club

The Mets are adding to their injured list manifest once again, this time with newly-acquired C Omar Narváez, who underwent an MRI which revealed a medium-to-high grade left calf strain, the Mets announced on Thursday.

According to the team, Narváez is expected to miss 8-9 weeks, meaning he might not return to the Mets until mid-June at the earliest.

According to multiple reports, the Mets intend to replace Narváez with top catching prospect Francisco Álvarez. He is expected to join the team and be activated in time for the club’s home opener against the Marlins on Friday.

Narváez started his season 4-for-14 at the plate, having caught in five of the Mets’ first seven games, but he left Wednesday’s game against the Brewers with what was originally described as discomfort in his left calf.

The Mets then summoned Álvarez from Triple-A Syracuse in the event Narváez needed to be placed on the injured list.

Álvarez, 21, is regarded as the game’s best catching prospect, according to MLB.com. He has gone 4-for-16 with two home runs and four RBI in 19 plate appearances over four games for Triple-A Syracuse this season. He did get a cup of coffee with the Mets at the end of the 2022 season, going 2-for-12 with a home run over the season’s final five games.

If there’s any good news for the Mets in what is yet another big injury blow to the roster, is that Álvarez brings necessary power from the right side of the plate, that which they are lacking in large measure in any sort of consistent fashion outside of Pete Alonso. He should have opportunities to serve both as a catcher and a right-handed hitting designated hitter while they wait out Narvaez’s injury.

As for Narváez, he is a defensive-centric catcher who was signed as a free agent during the winter. Losing Narváez, his veteran presence and his ability as a receiver/game caller is significant for the Mets veteran pitching staff, as a lot will once again fall on Tomas Nido who, while he is an elite defender himself, is better served as more of a part-time player.