WASHINGTON — Francisco Alvarez’s initial impact on this Mets lineup was felt Saturday.
On a day his team struggled to find offensive rhythm, the catcher — in his second game since returning from the injured list — took over the responsibility of delivering the big hit.
Alvarez’s two-run homer served as the Mets offense in a 2-0 victory over the Nationals.
The Mets won for the eighth time in nine games, rebounding after their seven-game winning streak was snapped a night earlier.
Luis Torrens nicely filled the void at catcher as Alvarez rehabbed from surgery in spring training to remove a broken hamate bone from his left hand.
But as much skill as Torrens brings to the position defensively, it’s the 23-year-old Alvarez’s potential offensively that sets him apart from most catchers.
“I have worked a lot on my hitting — and all facets of my game,” Alvarez said through an interpreter. “To have a day like today means a lot because I put a lot into my game as a player.”
Alvarez hit 25 homers as a rookie two years ago before slumping last season, perhaps compromised by surgery in April to repair a torn left thumb ligament.
Alvarez hit a two-run homer in the second inning to give the Mets a 2-0 lead.
Alvarez jumped on a high slider from Brad Lord and sliced a shot inside the right-field foul pole after Jesse Winker had delivered a two-out single. In a subsequent at-bat (in which he was retired) Alvarez also hit the ball to right field.
“The primary focus for me has been to hit the ball the other way or up the middle, but there are going to be days where I am going to be pulling the baseball,” Alvarez said. “But probably 80 percent of the time my focus is more to the middle of the field to the opposite field.”
The Mets (19-8) have another injury concern: A.J. Minter left the mound in the eighth inning with triceps discomfort. The left-hander is scheduled to receive an MRI exam on Sunday and manager Carlos Mendoza indicated an injured list stint was likely imminent.
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Max Kranick recorded the final two outs in the eighth before Edwin Díaz — pitching for the first time since departing Wednesday’s game with a left hip cramp — earned the save with a scoreless ninth.
Clay Holmes gave the Mets what they needed: five scoreless innings in which he allowed four hits and struck out two. The right-hander, who was removed after 70 pitches, lowered his ERA to 2.64.
Just that the Mets could get that far with Holmes was a bonus following a rain delay in the first inning. Holmes went 46 minutes between pitches, but returned strong.
He did not allow an extra-base hit and retired 10 of 11 batters to complete his outing.
Holmes has allowed one or no earned runs in each of his past three starts.
“It was tough to kind of cool all the way down [during the delay] and try to do some throwing underneath to try to stay as locked in and ready as you can,” Holmes said. “But there is really not much you can simulate at game speed. I got through five and made the most of it.”
Holmes’ departure at such a low pitch count was directly connected to the amount of energy he expended trying to stay warmed up during the delay, according to Mendoza.
“He was dealing at five innings and 70 pitches, but everything he did during [the delay] was a lot,” Mendoza said.
Danny Young struck out three batters as part of a scoreless sixth before Reed Garrett got the Mets through the seventh unscathed. Garrett allowed two singles in the inning, but with the tying runs on base retired Dylan Crews and José Tena.
Francisco Lindor bunted for a hit in the fifth — his third single of the game — before Juan Soto was retired on a squib in front of the catcher. Soto went 0-for-4 to follow a two-hit performance on Friday.
It left Alvarez’s blast as the difference.
“[Alvarez] has got the ability to use the whole field and drive the ball with authority,” Mendoza said. “That is what makes him a special player.”