The Philadelphia Phillies were dealt an unfortunate blow to the bullpen on Sunday after veteran right-hander Jose Alvarado was suspended for 80 games after violating MLB's Joint Prevention and Treatment program, per multiple reports.
As part of his suspension, the 29-year-old will be ineligible for the postseason even if the Phillies qualify. Alvarado tested positive for exogenous Testosterone.
This season, Alvarado has made 20 relief appearances and owns an ERA of 2.70. He's recorded a team-high seven saves and has 25 strikeouts across 20 innings on the mound. Considering the team has played 45 games this season, Alvarado won't be eligible to return until there's just 37 games remaining.
This is Alvarado's fifth season with the organization, having joined in 2021. Last season he had a 4.09 ERA with 13 saves and 63 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings.
With Alvarado out of the mix, it's possible Jordan Romano or Matt Strahm will be called upon to handle the bulk of the late-inning work, while the team will likely explore options to add another arm to the bullpen.
As it stands, Philadelphia sits second in the NL East with a 27–18 record, just 1.5 games behind the division-leading New York Mets.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Phillies Reliever Hit With 80-Game Suspension for PEDs.
