Phillies' José Alvarado Could Be Trade Candidate for Retooling Clubs
The Philadelphia Phillies, despite currently holding the best record in the National League, have needs to address before making another crack at the World Series. Namely, they could use at least one more back-end reliever and an upgrade in the outfield.
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But unlike most clubs, who only have minor league prospects to offer, Philly may have a different valuable commodity.
José Alvarado was an elite reliever just two years ago, and his rocket arm was working well early this season (2.70 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 25 Ks in 20 innings) before the league dropped an 80-game suspension on him for a banned substance.
Whether Alvarado's mistake was an honest one or not, it put the Phils in a bad spot. And when he does come back from his suspension, it might not be with open arms - soon after, he'll still have to sit out the playoffs.
Which is why they should consider cashing in if he provides them good value.
José Alvarado was a perfect seven-for-seven converting saves this season. He also had 64 overall holds dating back to 2021, when the Phillies first acquired him.Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The lefty carries a $9 million club option for next season - not cheap, but still less than the $11 million annual figure that current closers Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez got in free agency this past offseason. It's not a bad pitch for teams with their eyes on 2026.
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The Baltimore Orioles didn't envision being one of the worst clubs in baseball after two straight postseason appearances. With a few of their relievers on expiring deals, they could see Alvarado as part of the answer to a quick turnaround next year. It also helps that Philly has been linked to center fielder Cedric Mullins.
The NL Central and West are both in four-way races at the moment. The same can be said for every division in the AL. Eventually, someone *should* fall behind the pack and focus on a retool for next year.
But even with that, MLB will no doubt have a seller's market this year. The demand for quality additions far outweighs what's expected to be available. Trades won't be made easily.
If Alvarado's high-risk, high-reward appeal helps lower the Phillies' prospect cost, they ought to at least consider it.
Related: Dave Dombrowski Details Phillies' Offseason Trade for Jesús Luzardo
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
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