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It’s Okay to Forgive Jose Alvarado
By Sean Barnard
Published:
It was announced on May 18th that Jose Alvarado was suspended 80 games for violating the Major League Baseball drug policy. The positive test stemmed from a weight loss drug that Alvarado took in the offseason and makes the left-hander ineligible for the postseason.
The 30-year-old went home to Venezuela during his suspension and returned to the team this week. He’s beginning to ramp up his workouts and is eligible to officially return to the team on August 19th.
Alvarado himself has not ducked accountability for the situation. He did not appeal the suspension and apologized this week to his teammates in the locker room, publicly to fans and media, and on his own social media page:
Alvarado did the crime, did the time, and this should pretty much be the end of the story. But the frustrated takes and bold criticisms of Alvarado littered social media both at the time of the suspension, as well as following his return:
It’s far from ideal that Alvarado got suspended. He surely feels this more than anyone with the suspension directly costing him $4.5 million and keeping him away for baseball for the past 2.5 months.
Prior to the suspension, Alvarado was posting a 2.70 ERA and was second on the team, trailing Jordan Romano, with seven saves. He has been a key part of the Phillies bullpen for the past five seasons and would have been counted on to play a huge role in the postseason. There have been stretches throughout his tenure where Alvarado has been counted on as their top high-leverage reliever, and this season very well may have shaped into that if the suspension never occurred. If you want to fully dive into the butterfly effect, there may not have been as much urgency from Dave Dombrowksi to trade for Jhoan Duran if Alvarado continued to be available this year.
It absolutely hurts the Phillies bullpen that he’s unavailable for a playoff run. But Alvarado has a club option for $9 million next season and the Phillies are likely to keep him around. Looking ahead, a top four of Duran, Alvarado, Matt Strahm, and Orion Kerkering is about as good as it gets for high-leverage options. All four are under team control.
Alvarado can still make an impact during the final playoff push as well. There will be 37 games remaining on the Phillies schedule when he is cleared from his suspension. While it’s important to find your blueprint for bullpen success heading into the postseason, the Phillies do not have to be overly careful in protecting Alvarado’s innings count. The Phillies looked to have their best bullpen of this contending era last playoff run before most of their high leverage options faded in the postseason. Fatigue was at least a partial factor in this and having more chances to give Duran, Strahm, and Kerkering nights off to save them is a positive. Expect this to be a significant part of the blueprint of the final playoff push, which includes two series against the Mets.
Even though he would have helped, the Phillies’ postseason outlook will not be decided by Jose Alvarado. He made a mistake, paid for it, and will look to right his wrongs for the rest of the season and beyond. Yes, he should not have taken the supplement, but who isn’t looking to trim a few inches around the waistline?
Alvarado did not commit a crime or do something to put anyone else at risk. He crossed the line trying to better himself and got caught because of it. Alvarado was a good pitcher before this issue and will be one when the dust settles. Count on him playing a significant role in the remainder of the regular season and being a big part of next year’s exciting bullpen collection. His postseason absence will be disappointing, but any shortcomings that occur are unfair to throw on his shoulders beyond the outpouring frustrations that have already taken place.
Welcome back to Philadelphia Jose Alvarado, and we should all be looking forward to the lefty flamethrower pumping cheddar to get this team to the finish line. Strike 1, strike 2, and good luck.
Sean Barnard has covered the Philadelphia 76ers and general Philly Sports for over six years in a variety of roles and for multiple outlets. Currently works as a Content Writer for DraftKings Network, Sixers/NBA Insider for Philadelphia's Fox Sports the Gambler, and co-host of Sixers & Phillies Digest on Youtube. Forever Trusting the Process.