The Phillies are bringing back a familiar late-inning arm.
Philadelphia exercised José Alvarado’s $9 million team option on Wednesday, committing to the left-hander for 2026 after a season with highs and lows.
When on the mound, Alvarado remains one of baseball’s tougher lefties. Before his mid-season 80-game suspension for violating MLB’s performance-enhancing drug policy, he posted a 2.70 ERA over his first 20 appearances, striking out 32 batters in 26 innings. His sinker still ranked in the 99th percentile in velocity.
But the back half of the year told a different story. Upon his return in late August, Alvarado posted a 7.50 ERA and then landed on the injured list with a forearm strain, which ended his season prematurely. Part of the suspension was going to hold him out of the postseason anyways. Manager Rob Thomson noted in his end-of-season remarks:
“Tough year, it really was for him in a lot of different ways… I think making sure that he’s healthy going into the offseason kind of eased his mind and mine.”
The decision to bring back Alvarado sense for the Phillies, though. Left-handed relief is a scarce commodity, and Philadelphia enters the offseason light in that area — with only Matt Strahm and Tanner Banks under contract among LHPs.
The familiarity factor also counts: Alvarado has logged 21 postseason games since 2022.
Still, the upside comes with risk. His command remains one of his major issues. But for a one-year, $9 million commitment — under the $11.6 million market value that Spotrac estimates — the front office appears willing to bet on the “Alvy” who dominated in 2022–23 rather than the one who sputtered late in 2025.
In a bullpen that struggled for middle-relief depth down the stretch, bringing Alvarado back provides flexibility for Thomson. Whether he’s back as a seventh-inning bridge or strictly for matchups, the move signals the Phillies believe in his ability to bounce back.
