Mets catcher Alvarez fractures pinkie in rehab game

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez, who had resumed swinging and was to begin a minor league rehab assignment this week after spraining the ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb, suffered a small fracture to the pinkie on his left hand when he was hit by a pitch during a Wednesday rehab game, officials and team representatives said. Manager Carlos Mendoza called the injury a setback but said the fracture appeared minor and that Alvarez could restart baseball activities within a few days if inflammation subsides.

Alvarez, 23, landed on the 10 day injured list on Aug. 19 after sliding headfirst into second base on Aug. 17. The team initially feared he might be lost for the season, and Alvarez will require surgery on the right thumb in the offseason, the catcher and Mets officials said. But he resumed throwing and hitting while wearing a custom made splint and had been expected to begin a Syracuse rehab assignment Wednesday, following a burst of offensive production after a late July recall.

"I thought initially when I got injured that there would be more pain or just a level of discomfort, but up to this point there has been none of that," Alvarez said through an...