As the New York Mets look to right the ship and secure their place as a playoff team, they’ll need to do so without young catcher and budding star Francisco Alv

Francisco Alvarez needs surgery for a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb. But New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza says there's a chance the slugging catcher can play through the pain and help the team in the final weeks of the regular season.

With Alvarez sidelined, the Mets will have no choice but to turn over their catching duties to veteran Luis Torrens and Senger. Torrens has hit for a 68 OPS+ in 75 games to date; Senger, meanwhile, has hit for a 17 OPS+, albeit in a small sample size of 21 games.

Francisco Alvarez was removed from the Mets game on Sunday night after jamming his right hand into second base during the Little League Classic.

With the New York Mets facing a significant loss after Francisco Alvarez's injury, the team could explore how veteran catcher Austin Barnes, recently a free agent, could fit and provide invaluable support.