3 Biggest Takeaways From Mets Opening Weekend

2. Francisco Alvarez's Improved Approach at the Plate Will Pay Dividends

All the adjustments and work Francisco Alvarez made behind the dish was the talk of the offseason. Constant reports came out about his improved footwork and throwing but there was minimal talk of the work he put in as a hitter. While his power was on full display last season, hitting 25 home runs as a rookie, his .209 batting average and .285 on-base percentage left a lot to be desired. 

Alvarez spent a few months during the offseason working with hitting coach Jeremy Barnes on some swing adjustments. Both Barnes and Eric Chavez (the Mets’ other hitting coach) have stressed to Alvarez that he needs to cut down on the “loopiness” of his swing to create more line drives and fewer pop flies, and also trust his work and stop being so methodical and thinking so much with every swing of every at-bat. 

Through the first series of the season, we’ve already seen the adjustments in his swing and his mindset at the plate pay dividends. Yes, New York dropped all three games to the Milwaukee Brewers, but Alvarez’s play was one of the few bright spots of the series. 

He had a rough start going 0-3 with two strikeouts in the season opener, but he followed that up by going 5-7 with a walk, three runs, two RBIs, and two extra-base hits, including a laser shot to left field in game two of the series. His lone strikeout since the season opener came on a sweeper outside of the strike zone that should’ve been called a ball. His .545 OBP is hardly sustainable but his continued success at the plate will do wonders for a Mets team that once again is struggling to score runs.