NEW YORK -- Francisco Alvarez rejoined the New York Mets before Monday's series opener against the Los Angeles Angels after an unexpected four-week stint with Triple-A Syracuse, a demotion that manager Carlos Mendoza described as a "wake-up call," believing he is a changed player.
"I learned a lot of things," Alvarez, 23, said in Spanish. "A lot of things that I think made me a different player."
Two years removed from belting 25 home runs as a 21-year-old rookie, Alvarez reported to spring training in February with considerable changes to his swing mechanics.