On June 3, 2022, his contract was selected from Triple-A when infielder Edwin Rios went down with a right hamstring strain. To make room for him on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers placed Kevin Pillar on the 60-day injured list, ending his time in Los Angeles.
Alvarez played 14 games for the Dodgers in limited duty, was designated for assignment in Aug. 2022, and hasn’t resurfaced in the majors since.
Until Monday.
The New York Mets acquired Alvarez, 34, from the Boston Red Sox for cash. The transaction was relayed via the team’s transaction log; later Monday the Mets purchased Alvarez’s contract, bringing him back to the majors for the first time since his tenure in Los Angeles ended.
In 50 career major league games, all with the Dodgers and Miami Marlins, Alvarez has 142 plate appearances with a .183/.262/.262 slash line. Known more for his versatility on defense and speed on the basepaths, Alvarez has played every position other than catcher and first base in his major league cups of coffee.
The Mets are reeling from the loss of former All-Star Jeff McNeil, who fractured his hand on a hit by pitch Friday. He told reporters in New York that he won’t return unless the Mets go on a long playoff run.
That’s of no consequence to Alvarez, who isn’t eligible for the postseason because he was not in the Mets’ organization by Sept. 1. He was only eligible to be traded because he was not on the Red Sox’s 40-man roster.
However, it’s rare for players with major league experience to be traded after Sept. 1. The Mets are facing unusual circumstances, battling the division-rival Atlanta Braves for the third and final wild card berth in the NL. Alvarez can provide additional depth and versatility with McNeil sidelined.
Alvarez’s brother, Nick, played in the minors from 2000-06 in the Dodgers’ organization.
In 2021, Alvarez won a silver medal with the U.S. baseball team in Tokyo. It was his second Olympic silver, adding to the 5,000-meter speedskating medal he won in 2014 in Sochi, Russia.
A native of Miami, Alvarez has 1,855 career plate appearances at the Triple-A level in his career. He’s slashing .277/.381/.467 at the top minor league level.
