Philadelphia Phillies’ Jos茅 Alvarado pitches during the eighth inning in the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jos茅 Alvarado reacts after striking out Washington Nationals’ Alex Call during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Phillies’ Jos茅 Alvarado pitches during the eighth inning in the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
DENVER (AP) 鈥 The Philadelphia Phillies entered this season with World Series aspirations, and Jos茅 Alvarado was one of the reasons for that optimism.
Alvarado has been a successful closer this year, but he left a hole in the back of Philadelphia鈥檚 bullpen when he was by Major League Baseball on Sunday after a positive test for external testosterone.
The suspension was handed down a day before the Phillies began a seven-game trip Monday night against the Colorado Rockies at hitter-friendly Coors Field.
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Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson said he does not expect his relievers to change their approach.
鈥淛ust do your thing and try not to do more than who you are, because I truly believe we have enough stuff in our ‘pen,鈥 Thomson said. 鈥淲e do. Just don鈥檛 try to do too much. Throw strikes. Just be yourselves, and we鈥檒l get it done.鈥
Alvarado is 4-1 with a 2.70 ERA and a team-leading seven saves, but Thomson has also used right-hander Jordan Romano in the ninth inning. Romano has five saves, Matt Strahm has two and Taijuan Walker one.
Other candidates could emerge as Thomson tinkers with his bullpen.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to find out about some other guys, too,鈥 Thomson said. 鈥淛oe Ross hasn鈥檛 pitched in eight days, so he鈥檚 got to pitch tonight, and that might be a leverage spot. Same thing with (Jos茅) Ruiz. We鈥檝e had (Tanner) Banks in some leverage spots lately, and he鈥檚 done a fine job.鈥
Philadelphia bolstered its bullpen heading into the road trip. The Phillies called up right-hander Max Lazar from Triple-A and optioned Mick Abel, who won his big league debut Sunday with nine strikeouts against Pittsburgh 鈥 a club record for a pitcher in his first major league game.
Lazar is an option against righties or lefties, Thomson said.
鈥淗e鈥檚 actually pitching really well, and his velocity is really good,鈥 Thomson said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 throwing a lot of strikes, breaking ball鈥檚 been really good, and he鈥檚 kind of a neutral split. So if we need to, he can get lefties out.鈥
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Barring rainouts, Alvarado would be eligible to return on Aug. 19 against Seattle. He would lose $4.5 million, exactly half his $9 million salary this year, as part of a .
Because of the suspension, he is ineligible for the postseason.
Thomson said he won鈥檛 hesitate to use Alvarado in the ninth inning during the last six weeks of the regular season despite not having him available in October if the Phillies make the playoffs.
鈥淚f he鈥檚 pitching well, yeah,鈥 Thomson said of using Alvarado as a closer. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to get there.鈥
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