José Alvarado out for the rest of the season
Phillies reliever José Alvarado will not play again this season. He was placed on the 15-day injured list due to a strain in his left forearm. Alvarado had a 4-2 record with a 3.81 ERA in 26 innings pitched during 28 appearances this season. The pitcher served an 80-game suspension for the use of performance-enhancing substances, from May 18 to August 18, after testing positive for exogenous testosterone. Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski explained that the positive test was caused by a weight loss drug that Alvarado consumed during the offseason. As a result of his suspension, Alvarado is not eligible for the postseason. At the time of the suspension, he had a 4-1 record with an ERA of 2.70 and seven saves, generally performing as the team’s closer. The Phillies acquired closer Jhoan Duran from Minnesota at the July 31 trade deadline, and he has dominated in that role since then.The Phillies have a $9 million team option on Alvarado for 2026, which includes a $500,000 buyout if they decide not to re-sign him.Alvarado’s injury is quite minor, but enough to put him on the injured list. Our plan now is simply to prepare him for next year.
Rob Thomson, Phillies Manager
