Francisco Alvarez, a young Mets catcher, performed well in the team's 11-7 Opening Day victory over the Pirates at Citi Field. He hit two pitches and scored two runs, including a home run, and saved the team a run defensively. Despite being demoted midseason last year, Alvarez was among the better hitters in baseball despite tearing his UCL in his thumb. He also made a significant impact on the game by challenging the umpire's decision to dismiss Oneil Cruz's walk on a full-count fastball.