Phillies left-handed relief pitcher José Alvarado has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a performance enhancing substance, MLB announced on Sunday morning:
Jose Alvarado suspended 80 games. pic.twitter.com/vlyMYXQrC8
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) May 18, 2025
In addition to being suspended through the middle of August, Alvarado, 29, will be ineligible to play in the postseason if the Phillies make it there. It is a gutting blow to a Phillies bullpen which was already suspect; Alvarado has been manager Rob Thomson's most effective reliever amid a difficult season for many members of the team's bullpen.
"I really sort of look at it like an injury," Thomson said shortly after the news was released. "It's really out of our control. We've just got to move on. It's too bad. But we've got to move on. We have really good pieces here that can pick up the slack."
Before Thomson's media availability, Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski met with reporters to provide his perspective of a development which will alter the team's in-game and roster construction approach as the 2025 season continues.
Dombrowski said he has known about the possibility of Alvarado being suspended dating back to the end of the Phillies' road series against the Tampa Bay Rays, which concluded 10 days ago. Only on Sunday morning did the team find out officially that Alvarado was declining to appeal the suspension.
Dombrowski said Alvarado failed one test "a while ago" and subsequent tests have come back negative. The source of the banned substance, according to Dombrowski, was a "weight loss reduction," and "something he took gave a positive result."
Alvarado has already left town, Dombrowski said, and Thomson said he has not spoken with the left-hander since the decision was made to not appeal the suspension.
Nobody expected a smooth ride from beginning to end for the 2025 Phillies.
"Usually clubs that win world championships overcome something," Dombrowski said.
But to lose Alvarado for 80 games and any possible postseason play with a bullpen that arguably already needed reinforcements despite his dominance could be devastating.
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