New York Mets DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (thumb) had the stitches removed in his surgically-repaired left thumb on Monday. Alvarez is traveling with the team so he can continue taking part in pregame meetings between pitchers and catchers, but he's still only two weeks into a roughly eight-week rehab process. The 22-year-old former top prospect isn't expected to be available to the Mets until late June, and his .236/.288/.364 triple-slash line with one home run, eight RBI, eight runs scored, and one stolen base over 55 at-bats (16 games) before getting sidelined makes him only a borderline stash in shallow mixed fantasy leagues. Veterans Omar Narvaez and Tomas Nido are filling in behind the plate for the time being, but both backstops are hitting under the Mendoza line and are very low-upside choices in two-catcher setups at the bottom of New York's lineup.

New York Mets outfielder Harrison Bader (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Fantasy managers don't need to worry as this appears to be a routine rest day for Bader. In his absence, Jeff McNeil is in left field with Starling Marte in center, and Joey Wendle starting at second base on Monday. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups accordingly.

New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso will start on the bench on Monday in the series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals. As a result, outfielder DJ Stewart will make his first career start at first base and will hit in the cleanup spot versus Cardinals right-hander Kyle Gibson. This will be Alonso's first day off of the 2024 season. The 29-year-old right-handed slugger has gone 2-for-36 (.056) with a home run, four RBI and 11 strikeouts in his last 10 games to drop his season slash line to .206/.295/.420, so it makes sense to give him a day to rest. Despite the recent slump, Alonso has eight home runs and elite power that makes him a must-start every day he's active. Stewart, who is hitting under .200, will be a boom/bust DFS play in the cleanup spot for the Mets in DFS lineups on Monday.

New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (shoulder) threw a successful 32-pitch bullpen session on Saturday. The right-hander is progressing well and has faced live hitters twice this week. The organization is likely going to wait a few days before deciding on what to do next. Barring any setbacks, Senga will likely go on a rehab assignment soon. Currently, Senga is on track to return in late May, which means fantasy managers won't have to wait too much longer.

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Paul Blackburn went seven innings in Saturday's 20-4 victory, holding the Marlins to just one run on four hits and one walk while striking out three on his way to earning his third win of the season. Blackburn began the season with three straight quality starts where he didn't allow a single run, then had a three-game rough patch before getting back on track Saturday. The 30-year-old now has a 3-1 record with a 3.00 ERA and 1.02 WHIP through seven starts. The righty's FIP, xFIP, and SIERA are all below 4.00 which suggests he's pitched as well as it seems, and with Oakland being more competitive than expected to this point, Blackburn could continue to be solid pitching depth for fantasy as long as he's selectively deployed. However, you'll need to look elsewhere for strikeouts with just 31 in 42 IP and a 12.7% K-BB%.