José Antonio Alvarado… Has one son and two daughters… Hobbies: Spending time with family, fishing and hunting… Signed by: Euclides Vargas and Ronnie Blanco.
2025
Appeared in 28 games for the Phillies and converted seven of his eight save opportunities...Posted a career-high 4.57 SO/BB ratio (32 SO/7 BB)...Did not allow a run in 20 of his 28 appearances...Allowed season highs in runs (4) and ER (3) in 1.1 IP on 5/4 vs ARI and posted a 2.92 ERA (8 ER, 24.2 IP) in his other 27 outings...Posted a 47.4% whiff rate on his cutter (139 thrown)...Served an 80-game suspension for violating MLB’s joint drug prevention and treatment program from 5/18-8/18...Appeared in five games on a rehab assignment with Lehigh Valley (AAA): 0-0, 0.00 ERA (5.0 IP), four hits, four BB, four SO, 21 BF...Was returned from his rehab assignment and reinstated from the restricted list on 8/19...Placed on the IL with a left forearm strain on 9/11 for the remainder of the regular season...Ended the season ranked 8th on the Phillies’ all-time SO list for relievers with 308.
2024
Posted a career-high 13 saves and appeared in 66 games, his most since his career high of 70 for TB in 2018...49 of his 66 appearances were scoreless (74.2%)...Held LHH to a .127/.173/.225 slash line with just four BB and 18 SO (75 BF)...His .399 OPS against LHH was fourth-lowest among all MLB pitchers (minimum 75 BF)...Threw 424 cutters and posted a 45.6% whiff rate while holding opponents to a .156 AVG on the pitch...Ranked in the 96th percentile in fastball velocity (97.8 mph)...Limited opponents to a slash line of .182/.303/.236 (.539 OPS) with RISP...Earned the win on 4/30 at LAA, his first since 9/11/22 vs WSH...Was on the restricted list, 8/26-30...Made one appearance in the NLDS against NYM.
2023
Among NL relievers, was 1st in SO/9.0 IP (13.94) and second in SO % (37.2%) & FIP (2.41)...Limited opponents to a slash line of .196/.281/.307 (.588 OPS ranked 12th among all NL relievers in 2023)...Appeared in his second World Baseball Classic with Venezuela (also 2017) and made three scoreless appearances (3.0 IP, 3 H, BB, 5 SO) with one save...Began the year with no walks issued to his first 55 batters faced (14.1 IP)...Before allowing his first walk on 6/9 vs LAD (Vargas), had gone 18 games without issuing one which was the longest streak by a Phillies reliever since Jonathan Papelbon in 2014 (21 games) and the longest for a Phillies LHP since Billy Wagner (also 18 games) in 2004...In April, posted a 0.73 ERA (ER, 12.1 IP) with 5 SV, 24 SO, 0 BB, 0.49 WHIP and a .140 OPP AVG...Became the first Phillies LHP since Cliff Lee in 2014 to face at least 45 LHH in a single season and permit zero walks...With RISP, held opponents to a .105 AVG (4-38) with 15 SO and with RISP and two outs, held opponents to a .067 AVG (1-15) with 8 SO...Converted a career-high 10 of 12 save opportunities (previous high: 8 SV in 2018 for TB)...Had a career-best 18.2-inning scoreless streak (8/26/22-4/12/23); had 36 strikeouts, three walks and five hits allowed over the streak...Set a franchise record with 14 consecutive outings with multiple SO from 9/13/22-4/18/23 (gm 1) (34 SO in 15.0 IP) which was also a career-best streak...Struck out 11 consecutive batters over a span of five games from 4/1-12 and became the first ML relief pitcher in the expansion era (since 1961) to do so...Was on the 15-day IL (left elbow inflammation), 5/8-6/8; included rehab assignment to Lehigh Valley (AAA), 6/3-5 and Reading (AA), 6/6-8...Was on the 15-day IL (left elbow inflammation), 7/7-8/20; included rehab assignment to Lehigh Valley, 8/15-20...Posted a 2.35 ERA (4 ER, 15.1 IP) over his final 16 appearances of the season following his second IL stint...Appeared in eight of the Phillies’ 13 postseason games and posted a 1.13 ERA (ER, 8.0 IP) with five holds while stranding seven of eight inherited runners...Each of his first seven appearances (7.2 IP) were scoreless and worked more than 1.0 inning twice.
2022
Among NL relievers, was third in SO/9.0 IP (14.29), fourth in SO % (37.9), T-ninth in SO (81)...Had the highest SO/9.0 IP by any Phillie with at least 50.0 IP in a season and highest SO % by any Phillie with at least 200 batters faced in a season...Led all Phillies relievers with 1.7 fWAR...Set career bests in SO/9.0 IP, SO % and swing and miss % (38.4)...Began season with the Phillies and was optioned to Lehigh Valley (AAA) on 5/26, where he made four appearances before being recalled on 6/12...Posted a 1.66 ERA (7 ER, 38.0 IP) and 0.95 WHIP (14 BB, 22 H) with 64 SO, 1 HR, held opponents to a .164/.243/.246 slash line and stranded 13 of 15 inherited runners over his final 42 appearances (since 6/12)...His 1.66 ERA from 6/12 on was seventh in the NL among pitchers with at least 35.0 IP...Over his final 22 appearances (beginning 8/3), posted a 0.43 ERA (1 ER, 21.0 IP), T-4th in MLB in that span (min. 20.0 IP), and struck out 35 while walking four...Finished the season with an active 13.2-inning scoreless streak that began on 8/26, the longest scoreless streak of his career...Allowed only three singles and struck out 23 of the 46 (50.0%) batters he faced during the scoreless streak...Struck out multiple batters in each of his final seven appearances, tied for the most-ever consecutive appearances with multiple strikeouts by any Phillies reliever in a single season and one shy of Tug McGraw’s club record of eight (over parts of two seasons)...Struck out 61.5% of the batters he faced (16 of 26) in his final seven appearances...Had two saves: 7/17 at MIA and 9/22 vs ATL...Recorded a team-high 22 holds...Appeared in 12 of the Phillies’ 17 postseason games...Earned his first career postseason save in Game 1 of the NLCS at SD and earned the victory in the pennant-clinching win in Game 5 vs SD.
2021
Among NL relievers, was 2nd in inherited runners stranded (81.2%), T-5th in wins (7) and T-6th in OPP GIDP (9)..Held LHH to a .123 AVG (9-73) and .164 SLG with just one extra-base hit (HR) and retired 24 of the final 27 LHH he faced (0-24, BB, 2 HBP)...Was the first Phillies reliever to start a season 6-0 since 2011, when Antonio Bastardo also started 6-0..Was on the COVID-related IL, 4/19-25..Was on the suspended list, 5/3-4..Had a 1.80 ERA (4 ER, 20.0 IP) over 20 appearances, 5/5-6/25..Stranded each of his final 12 inherited runners and 21 of his last 23 from 6/4 through the remainder of the season...Had at least one strikeout in 13 straight appearances, 6/10-7/17, the 2nd-longest streak in his career (longest: 18, 9/2/18-4/12/19)...Did not allow an earned run in 12 straight appearances, 8/3-9/12 (9.1 IP) and had a 1.32 ERA (2 ER, 13.2 IP) in 18 appearances, 8/3-9/23...Was on the 10-day IL, 8/8-25 (left shoulder impingement); included a rehab assignment to Lehigh Valley (AAA), 8/24-25...Averaged 10.99 SO/9.0 IP (68 SO, 55.2 IP) and had multiple strikeouts in 20 of his appearances...The Phillies were 40-24 in the 64 games in which he appeared.
2020
Appeared in only nine games with TB before going on the IL on 8/15 for the remainder of the regular season with left shoulder inflammation. l Appeared in two ALCS games against HOU.
2019
Limited to 35 apps due to a stint on the Family Medical Emergency List (June 2-27) and two stints on the injured list...Issued 27 BB in 30 IP…min. 25 apps, his 8.10 BB/ 9 IP ratio was the highest of any AL pitcher and the highest mark in Rays history…according to Baseball Reference, only 58 pct. of his pitches were strikes, the lowest rate for a Ray (min. 25 apps) since Cesar Ramos (58 pct.) in 2011...Went 1-4 with a 9.95 ERA (12.2-IP, 14-ER) over his last 17 apps beginning on May 17...His average fastball velocity, according to FanGraphs, was 98.2 mph…his hardest-thrown pitch, according to StatCast, was 101.5 mph...Placed on the Family Medical Emergency List on June 2 and transferred to the Restricted List on June 9 while dealing with a personal matter in Venezuela…on June 16, returned to the United States and reported to the Charlotte Sports Complex to begin a throwing progression...Began the season with 10 consecutive scoreless apps before taking the loss in back-to-back apps on April 20-21 vs. BOS…yielded a 9th-inning sacrifice fly in the first of these games and 11th-inning sacrifice fly in the second...On May 17 at NYY, took the blown save and loss after yielding 3 runs in the 9th inning…allowed a solo homer to Luke Voit leading off the frame, snapping a homerless streak of 54 IP, and a 2-out, walk-off single to Gio Urshela...On July 3 vs. BAL, yielded 6 runs and 5 ER, both career highs…started the 9th inning with a 3-3 tie and was replaced with 2 outs in a 9-3 deficit...On Aug 24 at BAL, was used as an opener for the first time but threw only nine of 24 pitches for strikes, and was replaced with the bases loaded and 1 out in the 1st inning…placed on the 10-day IL after the game (left elbow inflammation).
2018
Recorded a 2.39 ERA, best among Rays relievers, in his first full major league season…ranked 2nd on the pitching staff with 70 apps and 3rd with 8 saves…at 22 years, 312 days, was the youngest Ray to make the Opening Day roster since Matt Moore in 2012...His avg. fastball velocity was 97.4 mph, according to FanGraphs, a mark equaled by only two lefties in baseball: NYY Aroldis Chapman (98.9) and PIT Felipe Vázquez (98.1)…his max velocity, according to StatCast, was 100.3 mph in his outing on April 28 at BOS...Held opponents to a .183 avg. (42-for-229), including a .217 avg. (15-for-69) with RISP and a .133 avg. (4-for-30) with RISP and 2 outs...Yielded 1 HR in 64 IP…min. 50 IP, his 0.14 HR/9 IP ratio was the best in the majors and 2nd in club history behind Roberto Hernández (0.12) in 1999...His 32 holds tied teammate Chaz Roe for the AL lead...he and Roe tied for 3rd in Rays history, behind Joel Peralta in 2013 (41) and 2012 (37)...Recorded the most holds by any lefty since PIT Tony Watson (41) in 2015, and tied SEA Arthur Rhodes (2001) for the 2nd-most ever by an AL lefty, behind MIN J.C. Romero (33) in 2002...On April 30 at DET, recorded his first career save, preserving a 3-2 win...earned his first career win on July 10 vs. DET, after not allowing a baserunner over a season-high 2 IP... On June 26 vs. WAS, played an interesting role in a 1-0 victory…he entered to begin the 9th inning, walked Bryce Harper, then moved to first base while Chaz Roe struck out Anthony Rendon…he then returned to the mound, yielded singles to Juan Soto and Daniel Murphy to load the bases, before Sergio Romo recorded the final two outs for the save…he became the first pitcher to also appear at first base in a 9-inning game since MIL Chuck Crim on June 6, 1989 at TOR…was the first pitcher in club history to appear defensively at another position…Romo joined this list when he appeared at third base on July 25 vs. NYY...On June 29 vs. HOU, induced a Marwin Gonzalez fielder's choice for his second career save…was the fifth time in club history a pitcher recorded a 1-pitch save, first since Fernando Rodney on April 7, 2012 vs. NYY...Spent the last 5 games leading up to the All-Star break on the Family Medical Emergency List...Compiled a 2.10 ERA (25.2-IP, 6-ER) in 29 apps after the All-Star break and a 1.72 ERA (36.2-IP, 7-ER) over his last 43 apps beginning June 12...From the start of August through the end of the season, struck out 46.7 pct. (35 of 75) of batters faced…allowed only 9 hits and 6 BB...Crafted a 1.47 ERA (18.1-IP, 3-ER) against the Red Sox and Yankees…held them to a .131 avg. (8-for61) without yielding an extra-base hit.
2017
Made 35 apps with the Rays spanning three stints in the majors, his first career major league action…was on the active roster from May 3- June 27, Aug 4-13 and Sep 5 through season's end...Did not allow a run in his last 14 apps spanning two stints, from Aug 4 through the end of the season…opponents hit .190/.227/.214 (8-for-42) over this stretch, which lowered his season ERA from 5.89 to 3.64... Averaged 98.2 mph on his fastball, according to StatCast…his max velocity of 100.9 mph was the fastest by a Ray since Fernando Rodney (101.1) in 2013...With his May 3 recall from Double-A Montgomery, was the first Rays call up to bypass Triple-A for his major league debut since Scott Kazmir in 2004…Hunter Wood did the same with his late-May call up…made his major league debut that night vs. MIA and allowed 3 R/ER in the 7th inning...Debuted at 21 years, 347 days and became the fourth pitcher in club history to take the mound before his 22nd birthday, joining Scott Kazmir, Chad Gaudin and Dan Wheeler... Pitched to a 14.54 ERA (4.1-IP, 7-ER) over his last 6 apps prior to his June 28 option to Triple-A Durham…yielded at least 1 run in 5 of those 6 apps, and suffered 3 losses over that span...In his second stint, struck out 9 of his 16 BF spanning 5 apps, all scoreless…on Aug 4 vs. MIL, made his first major league app since June 24 vs. BAL and struck out all 3 BF on a total of 9 pitches…was the third "immaculate inning" in club history, following Brad Boxberger on May 8, 2014 vs. BAL and Rafael Soriano on Aug 23, 2010 at LAA...Averaged 12.13 SO/9 IP (29.2-IP, 40-SO) over 25 apps between Montgomery and Durham...WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: Pitched for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic during spring training, making 3 apps…earned the victory in a 4-3 comeback win over Italy in a tiebreaker game in Guadalajara, Mexico, going 2.1 IP in relief.
2016
Made 37 apps between Class-A Bowling Green and Class-A Charlotte, combining for a 3.06 ERA (70.2-IP, 24-ER) and 85 SO…was used ex-clusively in relief for the first time since his 2012 debut season. Held left-handed hitters to a .184 avg. (14-for-76) with 1 HR and 28 SO between the two levels. Issued 55 BB in 70.2 IP for 7.00 BB/9 IP and 1.55 SO/BB ratios. All 10 apps for Bowling Green were 2 IP or lon-ger…averaged 12.4 SO/9 IP there to earn a pro-motion to Charlotte on May 16. Logged a 5.56 ERA (22.2-IP, 14-ER) in his first 15 apps with the Stone Crabs, but finished the season with a 2.31 ERA (23.1-IP, 6-ER) over his final 12 apps. Made 9 apps for the Tiburones de La Guaira of the Venezuelan Winter League, going 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA (9.1-IP, 2-ER) and 13 SO. Listed by Baseball America as one of three Rays farmhands to touch 100 mph according to scouts, front office officials or PITCHf/x data, along with Ryne Stanek and Diego Castillo. Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 28 prospect in the Rays organization following the season.
