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TORONTO — Eddy Alvarez was riding a bus with his Triple-A Red Sox teammates over the weekend when he learned he had just been thrust into a pennant race.
Traded to the Mets after clearing waivers, the 34-year-old infielder was selected to the major league roster on Monday and arrived at Rogers Centre eager to assume his role as the team’s extra September position player.
Alvarez — who hadn’t appeared in the major leagues this season — replaced infielder Pablo Reyes, who was designated for assignment.
“It feels like what I was meant for,” Alvarez said before the Mets faced the Blue Jays. “I love this kind of baseball. I have always thought of myself as a playoff baseball player, a guy that could bunt guys over, hit and run, have a good at-bat. The fact this organization saw something in me playing at Triple-A gives me confidence and I want to do everything in my power to help this club for this final push.”
WooSox player Eddy Alvarez earned an Olympic silver medal in speed skating. Rick Cinclair/Telegram & Gazette / USA TODAY NETWORK
Nerves shouldn’t be an issue for the Miami native, who won a silver medal for the United States at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi competing in short track speed skating as part of the 5,000 meter relay team.
He also was part of the 2020 U.S. baseball team that won the silver medal at the Tokyo Summer Olympics held in 2021.
Alvarez is one of only three U.S. athletes to win medals in both the Summer and Winter Olympics.
Jim Thorpe is the only other athlete to play Major League Baseball and win an Olympic medal in another sport.
“It’s one of those stories that is very unique and I love to share it,” Alvarez said. “The Olympic experience for me was something special and not many people get to experience that so if I can share with other players that probably won’t get to experience that, it’s fun.”
Alvarez, who has spent stints in the major leagues with the Marlins and Dodgers, said his skating career provided the discipline he needed to get this far in baseball.
Eddy Alvarez of the United States competes in the Short Track Speed Skating Men’s 1500m qualifying on day 3 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Iceberg Skating Palace on February 10, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Getty Images
Catcher Francisco Alvarez #4 of the New York Mets looks on as Adam Duvall #14 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates his second inning two-run home run with teammate Eddie Rosario #8 at Citi Field on July 26, 2024 in New York City. Getty Images
Alvarez’s major league debut didn’t occur until he turned 30.
“These [Olympic] athletes that dedicate their life, everything, their entire day-to-day, their social life, everything for this one opportunity,” Alvarez said. “And some don’t ever get that opportunity. The fact that you have to lock it in for one weekend to be able to represent the country to potentially win a medal, you do get put into high-intensity situations — high-leverage situations. Transitioning that over to baseball has really propelled me in gaining ground and all the time that I have lost.”
Alvarez appeared in 114 games this season at Triple-A for the Red Sox and owned an .811 OPS with 18 stolen bases.
He gives the Mets an option at second base, shortstop, third base and the outfield.
The Mets need the versatility following Jeff McNeil’s placement on the injured list Sunday with a right wrist fracture that will cost him the remainder of the regular season.
“This is something where I feel prepared and prepared to take on this role, but that [Olympics] journey has elevated my baseball career,” Alvarez said. “If not for my skating journey I probably would not have gotten this far.”
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