Monday’s game at Citi Field represented a victory for coaches in Mets development, if not for the broader front office.
The starting catchers for the Mets and Pirates were a pair of highly touted prospects who soared into the majors.
A few years ago, Francisco Alvarez and Endy Rodriguez were teammates, sharing catching duties with the Gulf Coast League Mets in 2019.
Alvarez hit Rookie League first, pounded every level of the minor leagues and has been the best Mets discovery this season, a budding star catcher at just 21 years old.
Rodriguez took a different path.
An international signing of the Mets in July 2018 out of the Dominican Republic, the catcher performed at low levels in ’18 and ’19 before he was sent to the Pirates for Joey Lucchesi in January 2021.
Viewed as a bit of a lottery ticket, especially after he (and most prospects) were not seen during the canceled 2020 minor league season, Rodriguez already has paid off.
He dominated Class-A pitching in 2021, kept hitting and touched Triple-A last year, before debuting in the majors in mid-July.
The 23-year-old switch hitter is the Pirates’ No. 3 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, and owns a respectable .712 OPS after going 0-for-4 in his first game at Citi Field, where he played against the team that signed and dealt him.
“Really good organization,” Rodriguez said of the Mets before the 7-2 Mets victory. “They take care of the players, in baseball and out of baseball.”
He did not take the trade personally — “it’s a business” — and was excited to see Alvarez again.
“This guy’s crazy, I love him,” said Rodriguez, who remembered his GCL days with his pal. “His first homers, those were crazy. He was just 18, 17? But long homers.
“Everybody was,” Rodriguez said before popping his eyes out and dropping his jaw.
Lucchesi, meanwhile, pitched in eight games with the Mets in 2021 before requiring Tommy John surgery that knocked him out until this year.
The lefty has spent most of his season with Triple-A Syracuse and pitched to a 4.43 ERA in five games with the Mets.
Starling Marte is feeling “a lot better,” he said, and is hoping to return this season.
The outfielder, who recently received an injection for his groin strain, is eligible to be activated from the injured list Wednesday but will need more time and, he believes, a rehab assignment.
“I think it’ll be favorable for me to do that to catch my rhythm again,” Marte, who added that inflammation has gone down, said through interpreter Alan Suriel.
Marte needed offseason surgery to repair separated groin tendons, and he has not looked the same this year.
Even with the Mets out of the playoff race, Buck Showalter said there is incentive for Marte to return.
“Hope it happens for him mentally a little bit,” the manager said before addressing a possible shutdown. “We’re not at that point yet.”
Marte ran sprints on the field before the game.
“I think the biggest value is for me to be there, be outside, watching the game and being one of those veteran leaders talking to the young guys and just pointing out what they can do better,” Marte said.
Edwin Diaz (right patellar tendon repair) has graduated to throwing off a mound — although not yet off a rubber.
“He’s not standing on the rubber, jumping full throttle down a hill,” Showalter said. “He’s throwing somewhat downhill at certain points.”
There is still a chance Diaz returns this season, even if the games will not matter.
“He’s right where he needs to be,” Showalter said. “He’s meeting every benchmark and getting ready to be an impactful pitcher for us next year. And whether [pitching this season is] in the best interest … I’ll let the medical people [handle it], obviously with Edwin’s input, and we’ll decide what’s best.”
Lefty Josh Walker was placed on the 15-day IL, retroactive to Aug. 13, with a right oblique strain.
In a procedural move, righty John Curtiss was called up and subsequently placed on the 60-day IL with a loose body in his right elbow.
Righty Sam Coonrod (lat strain) was reinstated from the 60-day IL and pitched a scoreless inning.
Righty Jimmy Yacabonis cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse.
Pete Alonso (1-for-3 with an RBI double and a walk) has 468 RBIs for his career, tied with Keith Hernandez for 10th most in franchise history.
— Additional reporting by Joel Sherman
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