The injury bug has struck the Mets again, this time taking a painful bite out of their young star catcher. Francisco Alvarez was forced to exit Tuesday's game against the Detroit Tigers during the sixth inning after appearing to tweak his right leg while swinging at a foul ball.

The moment was tense for Mets fans. After connecting on the pitch, Alvarez immediately signaled to the dugout and was met by the team trainer near home plate. He tried to shake it off, taking a few practice swings, but the discomfort was too much. He limped back to the dugout, leaving the game early.

Veteran catcher Luis Torrens stepped in to replace him. Torrens, who the Mets just extended for two more seasons earlier this week, saw just three pitches before drawing a walk. He'll be a key figure behind the plate if Alvarez needs any time to recover. Currently, Hayden Senger is the only other catcher on the Mets' 40-man roster, making the depth at the position a major talking point.

Before the injury, Alvarez was having a busy night on the bases. He beat out a double play to score the opening run, doubled in the fourth inning, and later scored the tying run from second base on a bloop RBI single by Carson Benge. Through 37 games this season, Alvarez has posted a .241/.317/.393 slash line with four home runs, 10 RBI, 12 runs, and five doubles.

For now, the Mets and their fans are holding their breath. Stay tuned for more updates on Alvarez's condition following his early exit.