No, it was speed skater.
This is Eddy Alvarez
This is Eddy Alvarez
Interesting, very interesting. Let me just start by saying that from the second this card had been revealed to me from the package from whence it came, I loved it. Not really for any real reason, I guess. I do like the photo on the front of the card.
Eddy Alvarez participated in speed skating in the 2014 Winter Olympics. He must have been pretty good at it, for he won a silver medal. But once through at the Winter Olympics, Alvarez decided to work as an infielder.
Growing up he loved both sports, but due to an injury, devoted his time to just skating. But I guess he couldn't hold back that love for baseball very long.
Alvarez played 45 games for the White Sox organization in 2014, batting .346/.433/.500 in that time, playing in both rookie ball and A.
Eddy Alvarez debuted in the Majors in 2020. He played in 12 games, and had seven hits in 37 at-bats for the Marlins. After a short tenure in the minors where he batted .320, Alvarez got another shot in the Majors in 2021. There, in 24 games and 64 at-bats, Alvarez slashed .188/.297/.328. It wasn't all bad though - he hit his first major league home run (this came off of Charlie Morton).
Alvarez then played for the Dodgers in 2022, where he hit .160 in 25 at-bats. 2023 saw Alvarez spending his whole year in the minors, where he slashed .286/.402/.476 in 64 games on the farms.
In 2024, at the age of 34, Eddy Alvarez found himself in the Red Sox organization, AAA to be exact. He played 115 games there, all in AAA, and slashed .247/.349/.462 with 18 home runs and 77 RBI. Not bad for a 34-year old, 5-foot 8-inch skater. He was bought by the Mets, and had 11 plate appearances with them in the regular season. He went 0-for-9 with a walk and a hit by pitch.
One thing Alvarez got to do in 2024 was pitch at the big-league level. On September 20th, the Mets were getting thrown around by the Phillies, and Eddy Alvarez came in to pitch for New York, down 10 runs. He threw a scoreless inning on 15 pitches, striking out Weston Wilson and allowing a double to Kyle Schwarber.
Alvarez played in that very last doubleheader between the Mets and Braves, one day before the Wild Card Series began. Though the Mets defeated the Brewers in the series, they did so without the speed skating, baseball playing Eddy Alvarez. Alas, they designated him for assignment, which can't feel too good.
Whether he calls it quits after his brief appearance in 2024 or continues to play in the minors in the hopes of being called up again to play for the big club, only time can tell. Whatever happens, I'll always think of Eddy Alvarez as a really cool baseball player and athlete.
"As soon as I finished skating, watching video of me stealing baseball bags was funny."
-Eddy Alvarez
(May not have been as good a quote as Stargell's, but I thought it was funny)
Talk about a multi-sport athlete! That’s quite impressive I must say. That’s also kinda funny honestly. I would’ve never guessed that he does speed skating as well, like of all sports. Anyways, this was a very enjoyable post, keep it up!
ReplyDeletePretty cool piece of trivia.
ReplyDeleteDidn't even know he was in the Red Sox organization until they traded him..
ReplyDeleteHe's easily one of the more interesting two-sport athletes in recent memory.
ReplyDelete