NEW YORK — Long before the official start of batting practice on Monday, Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez was swinging at pitches on the field.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza expressed surprise at Alvarez’s quick return to batting practice, saying, “I couldn’t believe it yesterday, somebody sent me a video of him hitting here at Citi Field.“

“When I was looking at it,” Mendoza continued, “I was like, ‘No way this guy’s swinging that bat.’”

Alvarez was last seen being pulled from the Little League Classic against the Seattle Mariners in the seventh inning after injuring his thumb sliding into second base.

Alvarez is expected to get surgery to repair the torn ligament in his thumb. In the meantime, he was going to be allowed to play once the inflammation subsided, which appears to have

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