LOS ANGELES — The Mets have their first significant injury to an everyday player to navigate.

Francisco Alvarez will be absent from the scene for a stretch, after the team placed him on the 10-day injured list Saturday, before the team’s 6-4 victory at Dodgers Stadium, with a torn ligament in his left thumb that will require surgery.

Alvarez told teammates the timetable for his return is six to eight weeks.

The catcher departed Friday night’s 9-4 victory over the Dodgers in the second inning in visible discomfort after stumbling as he rounded first base.

He used his hand, with weight on his thumb, to brace himself and kept running to second.

Omar Narvaez, who replaced Alvarez behind the plate on Friday, figures to receive most of the playing time in Alvarez’s absence.

In need of a backup, the Mets selected veteran Tomas Nido from Triple-A Syracuse after placing him on the 40-man roster.

Alvarez’s offensive potential will be missed the most.

In 16 games this season he owned a .236/.288/.364 slash line with one homer and eight RBIs. The Mets watched Alvarez help carry the team in stretches last season, when he hit 25 homers.

“Guys are going to have to step up,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Narvi, Nido, we feel good about them. We don’t know how long [Alvarez] is going to be out for, but we know how much energy he brings and the way he was playing and he was pretty comfortable. But like I always say, ‘Next man up.’ It’s an opportunity here for Nido and Narvaez to step up.”

Narvaez began last season as the Mets’ starting catcher, but an April calf strain sent him to the IL for two months.

Upon his return he was relegated to backup duty, with Alvarez blossoming in the starting role.

“[Alvarez] is a real important piece of our team and we all know that he’s a tough kid,” Narvaez said. “It takes a lot to get him out of the game, but things happen.”

Narvaez admitted he’s not happy with his defensive play and is working to address it.

“I still have to clean up some things about my defense, but I think we’re going to get to the same level everybody knows,” Narvaez said.

Asked specifically where he needs to improve, Narvaez pointed to his pitch framing and movements throwing to second base.

Alvarez became the first position player placed on the IL by the Mets this season.

Kodai Senga, Tylor Megill and Sean Reid-Foley are among the pitchers rehabbing on the IL.

Pete Alonso said that for however long Alvarez is sidelined, the Mets will miss his energy.

“He’s a phenomenal player, a tremendous worker and he’s taking so many strides forward, not just maturity at the dish, but defensively he has helped out our staff a ton,” Alonso said. “He’s a great competitor, a great personality and he’s always energized and ready to go. We’re going to miss having him out there and I am going to miss having him out there for sure.”