The clock is ticking on the Mets’ catching situation.
Gary Sanchez, who has hit well in his first week of motion with Triple-A Syracuse, can opt out of his minor league contract Friday.
If the Mets want to provide the fallen, former Yankees star a try, they likely would must create a roster spot by this weekend.
It will not be easy for a club that may soon be sending Tomas Nido, who has been out with dry eye syndrome, on a rehab project, is probably going a number of weeks from getting Omar Narvaez back from his left calf strain and is playing top prospect Francisco Alvarez, who has impressed defensively and has begun to look more comfortable on the plate.
Alvarez hit his fourth home run of the season, a three-run shot, in the underside of the ninth Wednesday to send the Mets’ game against the Rays to extra innings, they usually won 8-7 in 10 innings on a three-run homer by Pete Alonso.
Their energetic backup catcher is Michael Perez, who only has made one start, but went 4-for-4 in Washington on Saturday.
For a team that likely can only carry two catchers, the Mets soon can have to make your mind up whether to bring up Sanchez, and if that’s the case, whether to option Alvarez or try and trade Nido.
“I do know he’s trying hard to get back to the massive leagues,” manager Buck Showalter said of Sanchez, who has a .531 on-base percentage with one home run, eight walks and nine strikeouts in his first seven games with Syracuse. “Appears to be doing pretty much there. I do know we’ve numerous our catching people on the town working with him.
“In some unspecified time in the future you’re hoping that perhaps you’ll be able to get something there that may click for him. But he appears to be swinging the bat OK.”
The 30-year-old Sanchez, who opted out of his pact with the Giants before the Mets pounced, was a two-time All-Star for the Yankees before a precipitous drop, starting in 2020, and has never looked just like the same player since.
Kodai Senga, who allowed one earned run in six innings Wednesday, set a career-high with 12 strikeouts and have become the primary Mets pitcher this season with a double-digit strikeout game.
The whole lot was working for Senga, who induced 18 swings and misses, seven along with his ghost forkball/splitter.
“I believe soon it’s going to be a cat-and-mouse game where: Are they going to search for the fastball? Are they going to search for the splitter?” Senga said through an interpreter. “I just have to make the best decision.”
Showalter bumped Eduardo Escobar, who has been hot as a pinch hitter or as a platoon bat against opposing lefties, as much as No. 2 within the order.
Escobar reached on a walk in two plate appearances before he was pulled for pinch-hitter Jeff McNeil.
“He works his butt off, even when he’s playing or not playing. He’s at all times ready,” Showalter said of Escobar, who’s 9-for-22 (.409) with three home runs in his past 10 games. “There’s a very good feeling around him at once. You’re expecting something good to occur.”
Escobar lost his on a regular basis job at third base to Brett Baty after hitting .120 in his first 15 games this season.
The infielder, who’s beloved within the clubhouse, also struggled for much of last season before he had a terrific September.
“We all know what he’s able to for 4 or five weeks if he gets it going,” Showalter said. “Possibly it’s happening in May moderately than August or September.”
With a second-inning single, Tommy Pham snapped an 0-for-15 slump that had continued despite his consistent solid contact.
Pham got here into the sport with a forty five.3 percent hard-hit rate, which was near the highest for the Mets and ahead of Alonso (41.9 percent).
“He’s No. 1 in bad luck,” Showalter said of Pham, who also walked before he was lifted for pinch-hitter Daniel Vogelbach. “It’s been tough because he’s had some balls that just can’t appear to back the hard contact he’s making. But that typically works itself out.”
