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 is heading to the injured list after hurting his thumb on Sunday, which is a big blow to a suddenly resurgent Mets' lineup.