Francisco Alvarez returns to lineup for the Mets vs. Cards; Kodai Senga's rehab paused

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NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets activated catcher Francisco Alvarez off the injured list before Tuesday's game against St. Louis, while Kodai Senga experienced a setback in his rehab from a back injury.

The 24-year-old Alvarez returned to the lineup exactly four weeks after suffering a torn meniscus in his right knee while taking a swing against the Detroit Tigers. He is catching and batting ninth against the Cardinals.

Alvarez underwent surgery May 14 and was expected to miss six-to-eight weeks. Already knows as a quick healer following his recovery from hand and thumb injuries the last two seasons, Alvarez was taking dry swings within days of the operation and began hitting within two weeks.

“I always want to get back as quickly as possible to help the team,” Alvarez said through an interpreter.

He was 3 for 13 in four rehab games at Triple-A Syracuse last week. Alvarez played six games at catcher in his first appearance and seven innings in the next two games before catching all nine innings Sunday.

“He’s unbelievable,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Four weeks later, not only he’s playing, he’s playing on the big league level. He checked all the boxes.

“You’ve got to give him credit — credit to our trainers and our group there — because I don’t think anybody saw this coming.”

Alvarez is expected to see the majority of the starts behind the plate. Luis Torrens and Hayden Senger combined to bat .215 with two homers and 10 RBIs with Alvarez on the IL. Senger was optioned to Syracuse in a corresponding transaction Tuesday.

“I feel good, I feel like my legs are strong enough,” Alvarez said. “I don’t think there’s anything that’s weak right now.”

The news was less encouraging for Senga, who has been sidelined with lumbar spine inflammation since April 27. He was scheduled to make a rehab appearance for Double-A Binghamton on Tuesday before experiencing what he called a “small reaction” in the ulnar nerve while doing his between-starts work.

Senga said via an interpreter he “… wouldn’t go as far as saying it’s inflammation, it’s relatively minor.” He played catch Tuesday and is expected to do so again Wednesday.

Mendoza said the Mets have not taken Senga off his rehab and that the team hopes he could resume pitching in minor league games this week.

“He’s kind of day to day,” Mendoza said.

Senga has a 5.25 ERA in three rehab starts between Syracuse and Single-A St. Lucie. He was 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA in five starts for the Mets before going on the injured list, and is 0-7 with a 6.94 ERA in his last 14 big league starts since straining his right hamstring while covering first base last June 12.

“I think the front office would agree that they would like to see some results and so would I,” Senga said. “I think we’re on the same page there.”

Shortstop Francisco Lindor, who hasn’t played since he suffered a strained left calf running the bases on April 22, is expected to participate in full baseball activities — including on-field batting practice — this week. Lindor and Juan Soto, who missed 15 games in April with a right calf injury, have played just seven full games together this season.

Infielder/designated hitter Jorge Polanco, who experienced soreness in his left ankle last week while on a rehab assignment for the left Achilles injury that’s sidelined him since April 15, underwent an MRI on the Achilles that revealed nothing more than inflammation.

Mendoza acknowledged that Polanco, who was expected to shift to first base and replace Pete Alonso upon signing a two-year deal worth $40 million in December, would likely be limited to designated hitter duties for the foreseeable future.

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