Philadelphia Phillies left-handed reliever José Alvarado seemed to be in the midst of one of his best seasons, posting a 2.70 ERA with seven saves across 20 innings in 20 appearances, when Major League Baseball announced on May 18 that he had failed a routine test for performance-enhancing drugs. The league handed the nine-year veteran an 80-game suspension, a major blow to both him and the team.
Alvarado returned to action on August 20, but his comeback was short-lived. Over just eight more games, he surrendered seven runs in six innings before a strained forearm ended his season prematurely.
That injury marked a tough conclusion to Alvarado’s three-year, $22 million deal with Philadelphia. His suspension also made him ineligible for postseason play, sidelining him during the Phillies’ push for the National League East title. Many assumed the setback would spell the end of his tenure in Philadelphia.
However, the Phillies chose a different path. Just over a month later, the team decided to exercise the club option on Alvarado’s contract, ensuring he’ll remain with them for at least one more season. The 30-year-old Venezuelan southpaw, originally signed by the Tampa Bay Rays as a 16-year-old international amateur free agent in 2012, will earn a flat $9 million to pitch for Philadelphia in 2026.
