Latest news with #JoseAlvarado
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Insider proposes Phillies target this top AL East reliever to fix struggling bullpen
For the Philadelphia Phillies to make a deep postseason run, they must revamp their beleaguered bullpen after losing top reliever Jose Alvarado to an 80-game PED suspension. An MLB insider believes the Phillies must trade for this right-handed arm from an American League East team. The Phillies have one of the worst bullpens in baseball. They rank 17th in hits allowed (200), 23rd in WHIP (1.42), 25th in ERA (4.65), and 26th in batting average allowed (.264). Advertisement They replaced two high-leverage relievers in Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez with Jordan Romano, who has a 7.36 ERA and 1.591 WHIP. But his ERA has been more than cut in half since it was 15.26 following a six-run implosion in two-thirds of an inning against the Miami Marlins on April 19. With the Phillies trying to navigate their bullpen issues, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan believes the Phillies should target Tampa Bay Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks at the trade deadline. 'The Phillies' bullpen has been one of the worst in baseball. Even if it was much better in May, their only reliever with a sub-3.00 ERA was Orion Kerkering. And with Jose Alvarado down for 80 games and out for the postseason following a PED suspension, the need for help is that much more grave,' Passan writes. He continued: 'Philadelphia's bullpen torpedoed its playoff run last year. And with Alvarado and Jeff Hoffman missing, the onus is on president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski to find enough arms that can generate swing-and-miss against the gauntlet that is the NL.' Advertisement Fairbanks has a 2.05 ERA and 194 ERA+ across 23 appearances, but he does walk 4.9 batters per nine and has a 1.227 WHIP. His fastball velocity averages 97.1 mph, placing him in the 91st percentile, but his strikeout rate sits at just 23.4%, placing him in the 57th percentile around league average. If the Phillies do make it to the postseason, they also have in-house candidates for the bullpen like starters Ranger Suarez, Andrew Painter and Mick Abel. Suarez has pitched in high-leverage situations before as a reliever and Painter and Abel can throw gas. Fairbanks would help the Phillies get through the regular season before October rolls around, but they could still use another arm or two. Related Headlines
Forbes
02-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Who's The Next Phillies Prospect To Get The Call? Maybe Justin Crawford
Justin Crawford could be the Phillies' next call-up from the minots. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB ... More Photos via Getty Images) It looks like the Phillies are ready to dig into their farm system after calling up pitching prospects, Mick Abel and Seth Johnson, on Sunday. Abel, who aced his audition on May 18 with six-shutout innings against the Pirates in a spot start, will get slotted into the rotation while Johnson could get high-leverage innings for a depleted bullpen that's gasping after losing Jose Alvarado to an 80-game PED suspension. So who will be the next Phillies prospect to get the call? How about Justin Crawford? The 21-year-old kid is peaking right now. In his last 21 games, Crawford is hitting .363 with 11 stolen bases. And overall against advanced pitching at Triple-A this season, he boasts a .338 average with 20 swiped bags while playing supreme defense in the outfield. Check out this sliding beaut: Crawford's skeptics, however, will point to an elevated ground-ball rate (63.8%) and his next-to-nil power (only one home run) as reasons to leave him in the minors. But Crawford, a former first-round pick in 2022, is hardly the second-coming of slap-hitting Juan Pierre. His line-drive rate at 22.7% is the highest of his minor-league career, and his max-exit velocity (110.7 mph) tops that of Phillies centerfielder Brandon Marsh (108.2 mph) for the season. In 2025, another facet to Crawford's game is evolving: his patience at the plate. He's walking 10.7% of the time, up from 6.1% against Double-A pitching last year, boosting his on-base percentage to an elite level at .407. Yes, it's a simple equation: Crawford's superior on-base skills + his blazing speed = immense value for the Phillies. Especially considering that Phils' outfielders are providing so little offense. There is a blockade to Crawford's promotion: The team has not one but two centerfielders in the Marsh-Johan Rojas platoon. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski must know neither Marsh nor Rojas is the answer in center and that Crawford could eliminate the need for a CF platoon if his unbelievable splits carry over to the big leagues. The left-handed-hitting Crawford is batting .306 against right-handers and .455 against lefties this season. And the kid uses all fields; check out this opposite-field flare: For the immediate future, it seems that only an injury to an outfielder would initiate Crawford's call-up. Or they could possibly demote reserve OF Weston Wilson to clear space for Crawford, but that probably won't happen because Wilson is one of the few right-handed hitters on the bench. But the Phillies are skidding, losing four in a row. And Dombrowski may figure out a way to get Crawford on the big club. When Phils called up Abel and Johnson, it's obvious the team wants to infuse the pitching ranks with some youth. And if they're looking to do the same with the lineup, it's easy to see the next move: Call up Crawford to provide a spark.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Philadelphia Phillies' bullpen target reportedly has extremely high asking price
The Philadelphia Phillies were in the market for bullpen help even before closer Jose Alvarado received an 80-game suspension. With an even bigger void now on the roster, one of the team's top targets might have to be taken out of consideration due to the asking price. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the Phillies' target David Robertson told teams this winter he wanted a one-year deal worth $15 million in order to sign. Even now, the All-Star reliever has no intention of playing unless he receives an extremely strong offer. Advertisement Related: Philadelphia Phillies game today, Phillies schedule 2025 David Robertson stats (ESPN): 3.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 99-27 K-BB, .202 batting average allowed, .571 OPS allowed in 72 innings pitched last season Robertson, who turned 40 in April, was outstanding last season for the Texas Rangers. He continued to pitch well into his late 30s, compiling a 2.82 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP and just a 6.5 H/9 across 201 innings pitched from 2022-'24. The Phillies are plenty familiar with his reliability on the mound, demonstrated by his career 3.30 ERA in 30 career innings with Philadelphia and the team needs to strengthen its bullpen. Entering MLB games today, Philadelphia ranks 21st in bullpen ERA (4.54). Philadelphia Phillies bullpen stats (FanGraphs): 4.54 ERA (21st in MLB), 1.36 WHIP (19th in MLB), .252 batting average allowed (22nd in MLB) Alvarado's suspension also makes him ineligible for the postseason, which makes the team's need for quality relievers even more dire. Robertson has experience as a closer, 177 career saves, and could prove to be a superior option over Jordan Romano (8.05 ERA and 1.53 WHIP). However, given the veteran's contract demands, a deal appears unlikely right now. Advertisement Related: Insider breaks down Philadelphia Phillies' rise in National League Related Headlines
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kotsay reacts to Athletics' ‘tough' extra-inning loss to Phillies
Reaction to the 80-game suspension of Jose Alvarado for PED use Michael Barkann and Ruben Amaro react to the breaking news that Phillies pitcher Jose Alvarado is suspended for 80-games for PED to the 80-game suspension of Jose Alvarado for PED use originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia 5:48 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jose Alvarado suspended 80 games — and playoffs — for PEDs in major Phillies blow
MLB has suspended Phillies reliever Jose Alvarado 80 games and the playoffs for testing positive for a PED. The win-now Phillies were just dealt a significant blow to their World Series hopes. Left-handed reliever Jose Alvarado has been suspended 80 games and is ineligible for the playoffs after testing positive for a substance that is banned under MLB's PED policy, the league announced. Advertisement Alvarado, Philadelphia's best reliever so far this season, tested positive for exogenous Testosterone, according to MLB. MLB has suspended Phillies reliever Jose Alvarado 80 games and the playoffs for testing positive for a PED. AP 'The Phillies fully support Major League Baseball's Joint Prevention and Treatment Program and are disappointed to hear today's news of Jose's violation,' the Phillies said in a statement. Alvarado, 29, has a 2.70 ERA with a 1.20 WHIP, 25 strikeouts, seven saves and a 4-1 record in 20 innings this season. He's in the final year of a $22 million contract, with the Phillies holding a team option worth $9 million for the 2026 season. Jose Alvarado has a 2.70 ERA this season. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Alvarado's loss is a huge one for a bullpen that has struggled this season. Advertisement The Phillies' 4.66 ERA from relievers is the seventh-worst in MLB. Right-hander Orion Kerkering, a 24-year-old who had a breakout 2024 campaign, has a 4.32 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 19 appearances this season, a far cry from his 2.29 ERA and 1.08 WHIP from last season. Former Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano has been a bust for the Phillies so far after signing a one-year, $8.5 million contract. The 32-year-old has a 7.71 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 19 appearances this season. The Phillies entered Sunday with a 27-18 record, holding the second NL wild-card spot while sitting 1.5 games behind the Mets for the NL East lead.
