Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Set for live BP on Wednesday
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Alvarado (elbow) is scheduled to throw live batting practice Wednesday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Alvarado could be cleared to head out on a minor-league rehab assignment if Wednesday's workout goes smoothly. The hard-throwing left-hander was sporting a 0.63 ERA with 24 strikeouts and zero walks through 14.1 innings this year for the Phillies when he landed on the injured list May 10 due to elbow inflammation. He had also earned five saves and could eventually challenge Craig Kimbrel for a chunk of the team's ninth-inning opportunities.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Skips bullpen, but no setback
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Alvarado (elbow) played catch on flat ground but did not throw a bullpen session Saturday as scheduled, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
Manager Rob Thomson said Alvarado was hitting 98 mph in a bullpen session earlier this week and probably pushed himself too hard. However, despite the delay to Alvarado's return to mound work, the skipper insists this isn't a setback. With that, it sounds like the lefty still has a chance to advance to live batting practice next week.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Bullpen session coming Saturday
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Alvarado (elbow) will throw another bullpen session Saturday, Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.
If all goes according to plan, Alvarado will move to throwing live batting practice next week during the Phillies' series against the Mets. From there, the 28-year-old closer would likely require a rehab assignment before returning to Philly's bullpen. Alvarado has been on the injured list since May 10 with left elbow inflammation.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: On track for bullpen session soon
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Alvarado (elbow) will throw a bullpen session Wednesday if Monday's flat-ground session goes well, Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
He'll need an addition bullpen session after that before progressing to facing hitters and eventually going out on a rehab assignment. It's not clear at this point how many rehab appearances Alvarado might require. He's trending in the right direction, but the fireballing reliever still has a ways to go.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Resumes throwing Friday
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Alvarado (elbow) played catch on flat ground Friday, Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Alvarado will throw from a distance of 75 feet for a couple more days before ramping up toward a return to mound work. The lefty reliever has been sidelined since May 10 due to elbow inflammation. He is tracking toward being ready for activation around the end of May.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Should begin throwing this week
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Alvarado (elbow) is expected to begin a throwing program in the early part of the week, MLB.com reports.
Alvarado isn't traveling with the Phillies while the team wraps up its six-game road trip with a three-game set in San Francisco to begin the week, but he looks to have received the green light to resume playing catch back in Philadelphia. The left-hander was placed on the 15-day injured list last Wednesday due to elbow inflammation and is first eligible to return May 23. Assuming the Phillies' closer endures no setbacks as he initiates his throwing program, he could be on track for activation in close to the minimum 15 days.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: MRI comes back clean
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The MRI on Alvarado's left elbow has come back negative, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Alvarado is dealing with inflammation, which forced him to the injured list earlier Wednesday, but fortunately he does not have any structural damage. He will be shut down for a few days before being re-evaluated. Gelb writes that the Phillies plan to "take it slow" with the reliever, so it seems likely to be longer than a minimum stay on the IL. Craig Kimbrel is the favorite to close for Philadelphia while Alvarado is shelved.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: MRI still being reviewed
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Alvarado, who was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with left elbow inflammation, underwent an MRI that is currently being reviewed, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
More clarity on Alvarado's condition is expected to be available soon, but Phillies manager Rob Thomson admitted that he's "a little concerned, for sure," about the closer's health. Alvarado has been arguably the best reliever in baseball this season with a 1.88 ERA and 24:0 K:BB over 14.1 innings. Craig Kimbrel looks like the top candidate to close for the Phillies while Alvarado is away, with perhaps Seranthony Dominguez, Gregory Soto and Matt Strahm also in the mix.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Placed on 15-day IL
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Alvarado was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with left elbow inflammation.
Alvarado was unavailable to pitch Tuesday versus the Blue Jays due to left wrist tightness and that discomfort has now seemingly migrated to his elbow. An estimated recovery timetable was not immediately available. The move to the IL was made retroactive to Monday (May 8), so Alvarado will be eligible to return May 23 should he prove ready. Craig Kimbrel could handle the lion's share of the ninth-inning opportunities while Alvarado is out.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Unavailable due to tight wrist
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Alvarado was unavailable to pitch Tuesday against Toronto because of tightness in his left wrist, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
Alvarado mentioned that he's "unconcerned" about the injury, and he hopes to pitch during Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays if needed. The left-hander should be considered day-to-day, and even if he doesn't log an appearance Wednesday, this doesn't appear to be a long-term issue.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Picks up fifth save of season
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Alvarado picked up the save in Friday's 3-1 win over the Astros. He struck out two over a perfect ninth inning.
The southpaw has been one of the best closers in the league to start off the year, though he's still splitting duties with Craig Kimbrel. Alvarado has allowed just one earned run over 12.1 innings, and his five saves are tied for fifth in MLB. Additionally, he has a 0.49 WHIP and impressive 24:0 K:BB.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Dominates in save opportunity
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Alvarado picked up the save in Friday's 3-1 victory over the Astros. He didn't allow a baserunner while striking out two over one inning.
Alvarado has been lights out this season. He struck out two more hitters in the ninth to bring his season total to 24 in just 12.1 innings. The flamethrowing lefty leads the Phillies with five saves, all of which have come since April 19.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Nabs fourth save
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Alvarado picked up the save during Wednesday's 6-5 win over Seattle. He allowed one hit while striking out two over one inning.
Alvarado showed off his strikeout ability once again Wednesday, getting both Jose Caballero and Julio Rodriguez to go down swinging to close out the game. Through 11.1 innings, Alvarado has struck out 22 batters without a walk while only allowing one run. There are other capable options in the Phillies' bullpen, but Alvarado appears to have emerged as the primary closer in Philadelphia.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Possible waiver wire pickups
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Most everything points to Jose Alvarado being the one true closer for the Phillies, not the least of which is performance. No longer burdened by his past control issues, he's been a bat-missing machine, averaging nearly two strikeouts per inning. More revealing is that he recorded three saves for the Phillies over a four-day span, from Tuesday through Friday. Sure, Craig Kimbrel got a save Saturday, but it stands to reason Alvarado needed a day off after, again, working three of the previous four days. So why was the left-hander working the eighth in a lopsided victory Sunday? OK, so maybe the Phillies haven't entirely abandoned the committee approach, but Alvarado has all the momentum right now and is looking like a potential stud in the role.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Secures third save
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Alvarado picked up the save during Friday's 4-3 win over the Rockies, striking out zero over a perfect ninth inning.
Alvarado entered with a one-run lead and retired Charlie Blackmon, C.J. Cron and Ryan McMahon in order. The left-hander has put together three consecutive successful save chances after blowing his first opportunity and appears to be separating himself as the top closing option over Seranthony Dominguez and Craig Kimbrel, who've both been relegated to hold situations in their recent appearances.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Picks up second save
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Alvarado picked up the save during Wednesday's 5-2 win over the White Sox, posting a perfect ninth inning with zero strikeouts.
Alvarado entered in the ninth with a three-run lead and proceeded to retire Eloy Jimenez, Yasmani Grandal and Jake Burger in order. It was the second straight save in as many days for the left-hander after he blew his first chance against the Marlins on April 12. The Phillies continue to utilize a bevy on late-inning relievers as closers, with Alvarado, Seranthony Dominguez and Craig Kimbrel all getting chances.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Possible waiver wire pickups
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Jose Alvarado picked up his first save Tuesday, with earlier closer favorites Craig Kimbrel and Seranthony Dominguez working the seventh and eighth innings. It doesn't mean Alvarado is the closer now, but it does mean he's in the running to close and perhaps even the favorite. By performance, he certainly deserves to be. He's always been a big bat-misser, but 18 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings is on another level. Most impressive is that he hasn't walked anyone yet, showing better control than at any other point in his career. Alvarado has long been touted as a prospective closer even going back to his Rays days, and now that the Phillies have another high-leverage lefty in Gregory Soto, they may be more open to the idea. If so, the returns could be huge.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Nails down first save
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Alvarado struck out two in a perfect ninth inning during the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the White Sox, recording his first save of the season in a 7-4 win.
The Phillies' bullpen was outstanding in the matinee, as Gregory Soto, Craig Kimbrel, Seranthony Dominguez and Alvarado each fanned two in perfect innings of relief. Alvarado has been the best of the high-leverage quartet in the early going, striking out multiple batters in seven straight appearances and posting a stunning 18:0 K:BB through 7.1 innings to go along with his 1.23 ERA and three holds. No Philadelphia hurler has more than one save yet, but the southpaw appears to be staking a claim to being the team's relief ace, if not its full-time closer.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Inks three-year extension
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Alvarado signed a three-year, $21.5 million contract extension Friday with a $9 million club option for 2026.
Alvarado and the Phillies avoided arbitration with a one-year, $3.45 million deal last week, but this new contract wipes that out and tacks on two, and possibly three, more years. The buyout for the option is $500,000, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post, so Alvarado is guaranteed at least $22 million. The big left-hander had been slated to hit free agency next offseason. Alvarado put up a 3.18 ERA and 81:24 K:BB over 51 innings for Philly in 2022, earning two saves along the way. He'll be in the late-inning mix for the team again in 2023.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Avoids arbitration with Phillies
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Alvarado agreed to a one-year, $3.45 million contract with the Phillies on Friday to avoid arbitration.
The two sides met at the midpoint of the figures they exchanged last month, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports. Alvarado was actually optioned to the minors by the Phillies after a rough start to last season but was dominant after returning with a 1.66 ERA and 64:14 K:BB over 38 innings covering his last 42 appearances.
