Mets’ Francisco Alvarez missing time could ‘throw him off’

The Mets hadn’t announced the results of Francisco Alvarez’s MRI exam as of Monday, a day after the catcher suffered an injury to his right thumb while diving into second base during Sunday’s win over Seattle, but they know how much they can’t afford to lose him for an extended period of time.

Unfortunately, they’ve had experience with that before, a history Carlos Mendoza noted Sunday night, when he acknowledged there was “concern” over the thumb.

Alvarez had surgery on his left thumb last year after bracing himself when he fell on the bases and fractured his hamate bone on a swing this spring.

Both injuries have been a part of a downward trajectory in Alvarez’s young career that resulted in him being optioned to Triple-A Syracuse in June.

But after compiling an OPS of just .652 through 35 games before being sent to Syracuse, Alvarez returned with a flourish a month later.

Following Sunday’s three-hit game, Alvarez had an OPS of 1.054 with 11 extra-base hits in 21 games since being recalled.

And he’d been even hotter of late, going 9-for-20 with six extra-base hits in his past five starts behind the plate.

“Whatever he did in the minors — or whatever they did with him — worked,” one National League scout said Monday. “But something like this could throw him off for the rest of the year. We’ve seen it with him before. It can take him a while to get going again.”

Without Alvarez, the Mets would have to turn again to Luis Torrens, a capable backup, but of the 36 catchers with at least 220 plate appearances this season, just two have a lower OPS than Torrens’ .581.

The Mets likely can’t afford any more slips, given their place in the standings.

They entered Monday in second place in the NL East and third in the wild-card standings and begin a three-game series against the last-place Nationals in Washington on Tuesday, followed by three at fourth-place Atlanta.

Then they have to host the first-place Phillies and third-place Marlins before trips to front-running Detroit, as well as Cincinnati and Philadelphia.

Francisco Lindor was named NL Player of the Week on Monday.

The shortstop had gone hitless in five straight games, part of an 0-for-21 skid, before he snapped out of it Aug. 12 against the Braves.

And over his past five games, Lindor has done nothing but hit.

He’s had five consecutive multi-hit games, going 13-for-21 with three doubles, three homers, seven RBIs, two walks and a pair of stolen bases.

The Mets lost three of those five games, but typically, Lindor’s success at the plate mirrors that of the team.

In wins this season, he has an OPS of .991, compared to .535 in losses.

The Mets announced Monday they requested waivers to grant Paul Blackburn his unconditional release.

Blackburn had been designated for assignment to open a roster spot for Nolan McLean.

Acquired a year ago from the A’s, Blackburn was sidelined by right knee inflammation and didn’t make his season debut until June 2.

He had a 6.85 ERA in seven games, four starts.