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Jose Alvarado suspended 80 games for violating MLB’s anti-drug policy
Jose Alvarado suspended 80 games for violating MLB’s anti-drug policy
Philadelphia Phillies reliever Jose Alvarado has been popped for performance-enhancing drugs, getting suspended for 80 games for violating MLB’s anti-drug policy, league insider Jon Heyman was among the first to report Sunday.
He will not receive pay nor will he be eligible to play in the postseason, should the Phillies make it.
Alvarado, who turns 30-years-old next week, is the second big name to be suspended this season for PEDs; Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar, who cashed in this offseason after a career season, was suspended 80 games in late March.
Alvarado has been one of the Phillies’ most reliable high-leverage relievers out of the bullpen this season. He’s logged seven games in 20 appearances, striking out 25 batters to just four walks. The southpaw graded in the 75th percentile or better in expected ERA (86th percentile), expected batting average (76th), strikeout percentage (86th) and walk percentage, according to Baseball Savant.
He was a Swiss army knife in the Phillies’ bullpen. Now, Matt Strahm, Orion Kerkering and Jose Ruiz will be tasked with more responsibility.
Overall, Philadelphia’s bullpen has been quite disappointing, magnified with the loss of Alvarado. It entered Sunday with the seventh-worst bullpen ERA, albeit with the 14th-best FIP and 10th-best xFIP.
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This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for updates.
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