"We are better than Dodgers" - Mets Francisco Alvarez exudes confidence after massive Juan Soto, Pete Alonso signings

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series last October, en route to their second World Series win in four years.

Since the Dodgers' Fall Classic triumph, both teams have been among the most active teams in the offseason. While the Dodgers made several additions to the roster, the Mets made the headline move of the offseason by splashing an MLB record $765 million for All-Star outfielder Juan Soto.

The Mets added more firepower to the hitting lineup by bringing back former Rookie of the Year Pete Alonso on a two-year, $54 million deal this week. Alonso's reunion has made the Mets one of the most formidable outfits in the league and catcher Francisco Alvarez believes they have the best lineup in baseball.

In a conversation with NY Post's Jon Heyman, Alvarez said:

“I think we are better than the Dodgers (lineup).”

The Mets catcher believes the team has a little bit of everything after the addition of Soto and Alonso in the offseason.

“I think we are the best lineup in baseball,” Alvarez said on Monday. “We have Petey. We have a little bit of everything. We have hitting guys. We have power hitters. We have everything. We have the best lineup in baseball, so we can fight with any team.”

Francisco Alvarez's words might not go down well with the Dodgers fans, as the NL West team arguably has the strongest lineup on paper with multiple MVP and Cy Young winners on the roster.

Apart from the signings, the Dodgers will also see Shohei Ohtani pitch for the first time with the team this season, adding another dimension to the Dodgers rotation.

Francisco Alvarez vows to bounce back after sluggish 2024

Francisco Alvarez had a disappointing 2024 with the Mets after a brilliant first full season with the team in 2023. He followed his 25-home run season in 2023 with just 11 last season.

However, it wasn't just down to his slugging as the young catcher suffered a torn left thumb ligament, that required surgery in April.

“I feel way stronger right now,” Alvarez said. “I feel way better. My thumb is way better, so I think this year I have no excuses for nothing.”

The 23-year-old catcher aspires to win the World Series and if the Mets are to do so, they are likely to come up against the Dodgers at some point in the postseason. It'll be interesting to see the reception Alvarez gets when they play the reigning World Series winners at Dodger Stadium next season.