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José Alvarado (baseball)

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José Alvarado
Alvarado in 2017
Philadelphia Phillies – No. 46
Pitcher
Born: (1995-05-21) May 21, 1995 (age 29)
Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
May 3, 2017, for the Tampa Bay Rays
Career statistics
(through April 30, 2022)
Win–loss record9–16
Earned run average3.69
Strikeouts239
Teams

José Antonio Alvarado[1] (born May 21, 1995) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). Alvarado previously played for the Tampa Bay Rays, having signed there as an international free agent, in March 2012. Alvarado made his major league debut in 2017.

Early life

Alvarado was born on May 21, 1995, in Maracaibo, Venezuela.[1] During Alvarado's childhood, Maracaibo was known for its high crime rates, including kidnappings and assault, and he attempted to stay out of trouble while garnering a sense of fearlessness. Alvarado dropped out of school at the age of 14 in order to support his family through farm work. He preferred soccer to baseball, but was turned onto the latter sport when his physical education teacher told him that, as a left-handed athlete, he had a future as a pitcher.[2]

Professional career

Minor league career

The Tampa Bay Rays took an interest in Alvarado when he pitched at a showcase for Major League Baseball (MLB) scouts, and he was invited to pitch at the Rays' Venezuelan academy.[2] The Rays signed him in 2012, as part of an ongoing push from the club to pursue international baseball talent.[3] He made his professional baseball debut in 2012 as a 17-year-old in the Venezuelan Summer League (VSL). In 12 games and 26 innings pitched, Alvarado posted a 2-3 win–loss record with a 3.81 earned run average (ERA) and 20 strikeouts. The following year, he returned to the VSL, going 1-8 with a 1.97 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 13 starts and 45+2⁄3 innings. In 2015, he was taken to the US for a season with the Gulf Coast League Rays. There, Alvarado posted a 1-5 record with a 3.79 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 12 games and 40+1⁄3 innings.[4]

In 2015, Alvarado still played in rookie league, and struggled mightily in 5 starts, posting an ERA of 9.53 as he walked 13 batters in 17 innings.[5] In 2016, Alvarado converted to the bullpen and improved dramatically, posting a 3.06 ERA between Low-A and High-A with an 85/55 K/BB ratio in 70+2⁄3 innings, but walked 7.4 batters per nine innings.[6] The Rays added him to their 40-man roster after the 2016 season.[7] In 2017, he played for the Double-A Montgomery Biscuts, posting a 2–1 record in 9 games (11+1⁄3 innings) with an ERA of 2.38.[8]

Tampa Bay Rays

José Alvarado pitching with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018.

On May 3, 2017, Alvarado was called up directly from Montgomery to give the Rays a left-handed option out of the bullpen, at 21 years of age. He made his debut the same day, getting hit hard and allowing 3 runs on 2 hits in his only inning of work. Alvarado calmed down after his debut, only allowing one run in his next 10 appearances.[9] On August 4, 2017, he pitched an immaculate inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in a game at Tropicana Field. Alvarado finished the season 0–3 with a 3.64 ERA in 29+2⁄3 innings.

In 2018, Alvarado was a key contributor to the Rays bullpen, specifically in late, high leverage situations. Overall, he finished the season with a 2.39 ERA (ranking second on his team), 8 saves (third on team), 31 holds (tied for most in the American League (AL) with teammate Chaz Roe), an 11.3 strikeouts per nine IP (highest on team) in 64 innings over 70 games (second most on team).[10]

During the 2019 season, Alvarez struggled with inconsistency and injury, appearing in only 35 games after leaving the United States in June for family reasons,[11] being placed on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain, and spending the entire month of September on the injured list with left elbow inflammation. In 30 innings, Alvarado posted a 4.80 ERA, striking out 39 batters while walking 27 — nearly one an inning.[9]

On August 15, 2020, Alvarado was placed on the 10-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation.[12] He was later shifted to the 45-day injured list and missed the remainder of the season.[13] On the year for Tampa Bay, Alvarado pitched to a 6.00 ERA with 13 strikeouts across 9 innings pitched in as many appearances.[14]

Philadelphia Phillies

On December 29, 2020, Alvarado was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies as part of a three-team trade that sent Garrett Cleavinger from Philadelphia to the Los Angeles Dodgers and minor leaguer Dillon Paulson and a player to be named later from the Dodgers to the Rays.[15] In 2021, Alvarado recorded a 4.20 ERA and struck out 68 batters while walking 47 in 55+2⁄3 innings of relief. He had the highest walk rate of any pitcher with more than 50 innings that year (18.7%).

On March 22, 2022, Alvarado signed a $1.9 million contract with the Phillies, avoiding salary arbitration.[16]

Scouting profile

Alvarado is 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighs 245 pounds (111 kg). He throws a 2-seam fastball which consistently ranges from 96 to 99 mph, and a power curveball which is in the low to mid-80s. Alvarado has struggled to find control in the majors (4.8 walks per nine innings), as well as the minors (6.0 walks per nine innings),[6] which was a major reason in his switch from the rotation to the bullpen.

Personal life

Alvarado grew up in Venezuela. He likes to hunt 3-foot iguanas and paca, with a slingshot. Alvarado has two children, a daughter and a son.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "José Alvarado Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Toribio, Juan (November 12, 2018). "'If they ever give me another chance, I will make it big': José Alvarado's uneven path from a rough childhood in Venezuela to major-league success". The Athletic. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  3. ^ Romano, John (February 1, 2019). "Rays go international ... and it's working". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  4. ^ "Jose Alvarado Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  5. ^ "Jose Alvarado Stats, Highlights". MiLB.com. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  6. ^ a b "José Alvarado Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  7. ^ Topkin, Marc (November 19, 2016). "Rays trade Motter and Shaffer to Mariners, add 8 prospects to roster". tampabay.com. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  8. ^ Sickels, John (May 5, 2017). "MLB Rookie Profile: José Alvarado, LHP, Tampa Bay Rays". minorleagueball.com. Minor League Ball. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  9. ^ a b "Jose Alvarado Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  10. ^ "2018 Tampa Bay Rays Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
  11. ^ "Rays' Alvarado pulled in 7th with oblique strain". ESPN.com. ESPN. July 6, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  12. ^ "Jose Alvarado is latest Rays pitcher sidelined by injury".
  13. ^ "Rays' Jose Alvarado: Shifts to 45-day injured list".
  14. ^ "Phillies acquire Jose Alvarado from Rays in 3-way trade". December 29, 2020.
  15. ^ Simon, Andrew (December 29, 2020). "LA nets prospect Cleavinger in 3-team trade". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  16. ^ "Arbitration Tracker For 2022". MLBTradeRumors. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  17. ^ Topkin, Marc (May 18, 2017). "Rays turn to rookies Jose Alvarado, Ryne Stanek to turn up heat in bullpen". tampabay.com. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
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