Philadelphia Phillies closer Jose Alvarado (elbow), who went on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday with left-elbow inflammation, had an MRI exam and is seeing a doctor to review it. A lot is unknown right now about his condition, but the Phillies hope to gain some more clarity later on Wednesday. "I'm a little concerned, for sure," manager Rob Thomson said. The 27-year-old southpaw could be looking at an extended absence, which would obviously be terrible news for the Phillies and fantasy managers. Alvarado had been one of the best relievers in the game in the first month-plus of the season, as he has a 1.88 ERA, five saves and 24 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings of work. Craig Kimbrel will likely see most of the save chances with Alvarado out, but Seranthony Dominguez, Gregory Soto and Matt Strahm could also see opportunities along the way.

The Philadelphia Phillies placed left-hander Jose Alvarado (elbow) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 8) with left-elbow inflammation on Wednesday and reinstated right-hander Andrew Bellatti (triceps) from the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move. The Phils announced that Alvarado wasn't available to pitch on Tuesday due to left-wrist tightness, but apparently he's now dealing with an elbow issue. The 27-year-old southpaw reliever will now miss at least the next two weeks, which is a hit for fantasy managers and the team's bullpen. Alvarado has been excellent so far in 2023 with a 1.88 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, five saves and 24 K's in 14 1/3 innings. While he's out, Craig Kimbrel could see the majority of the team's save chances.

Philadelphia Phillies reliever Jose Alvarado (wrist) was unavailable for Tuesday's contest against the Toronto Blue Jays, as he's experiencing tightness in his left wrist, according to MLB.com. However, the 27-year-old isn't concerned and told reporters that he hopes to pitch Wednesday if the club needs him. Alvarado has enjoyed his best season so far in a Major League uniform, posting a 1.88 ERA, 46.2% strikeout rate, 0.70 WHIP, and has yet to walk anyone over 14.1 innings. The success has led manager Rob Thompson to use him as the primary closer, racking up a team-leading five saves. Fantasy managers should assume Alvarado holds onto that role if his dominance continues.

Philadelphia Phillies closer Jose Alvarado logged his fifth save of the season, beating the Astros 3-1 Friday. He effortlessly retired the side with just 14 pitches and added two more strikeouts to his impressive season total. The left-handed pitcher has faced 43 batters so far this season and has managed to strike out 24. With a remarkable 0.73 ERA across 12 appearances, Alvarado is poised to be a valuable asset for fantasy leagues this season.

Philadelphia Phillies reliever Jose Alvarado recorded his fourth save in the Phillies 6-5 victory over the Seattle Mariners. Alvarado surrendered a two-out double to J.P. Crawford but struck out Julio Rodriguez to complete the save. The 27-year-old improved his season ERA to 0.79 as his magical season continues. He has struck out 22 batters, with a 0.53 WHIP and a ridiculous 55.6% strikeout rate. Alvarado has converted 4/5 save opportunities and is likely to serve as the primary closer in the Phillies bullpen if Craig Kimbrel continues to scuffle. The Venezuela native is rostered in the vast majority of leagues, but if he's still out on the waiver wire, it would be reasonable to add him to your bullpen.

Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jose Alvarado came in to close down Wednesday's game against the Chicago White Sox. The left-hander has been the Phillies best option out of the bullpen this season. He recorded his first save on Tuesday and earned his second during this game. The Phillies have Craig Kimbrel and Seranthony Dominguez as well, but they've been using them to set up Alvarado over the last two days. It's uncertain if Alvarado will remain the closer, but he's worth a look in some fantasy formats right now while he's getting save chances.

Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jose Alvarado picked up his first save of the season in Tuesday's 7-4 win over the White Sox in the first game of a doubleheader. Alvarado came in to end things up by three and delivered a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts. The Phillies have gone with a closer-by-committee approach so far this season, with Alvarado seeing two save opportunities, Craig Kimbrel (who pitched the seventh inning) seeing one, and Seranthony Dominguez (who pitched the eighth) seeing one. Alvarez has clearly been the best of the three, posting a 1.23 ERA with an impressive 18 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings pitched. While all three could be useful in roto leagues, Alvarez may be the arm to favor in fantasy at the moment.

Philadelphia Phillies southpaw Jose Alvarado has been lights out to begin this season, allowing no runs over four innings with an absurd 11 strikeouts and 0.25 WHIP. Perhaps the most encouraging number for the 27-year-old thus far is no walks, as his 13.5% career walk rate has hindered his performance in the past. Alvarado has yet to appear in a save situation, so his value is limited in standard leagues. However, he does have two holds and should continue pitching in a high-leverage role all season. With that being said, Alvarado should be rostered in every hold league, and fantasy owners will benefit from his high strikeout rate and hope he can repeat his 22-hold season from a year ago.

The Philadelphia Phillies signed relief pitcher Jose Alvarado to a three-year contract extension on Friday that includes a team option for the 2026 season. The deal will be worth $21.5 million, and the option is worth $9 million. The 27-year-old left-hander had already avoided arbitration with a one-year, $3.45 million deal last week, but now he's locked in for longer. He was strong in his second season in Philadelphia in 2022, posting a 3.18 ERA (1.92 FIP), 1.22 WHIP, two saves and a career-high 81 strikeouts in 51 relief innings. Alvarado should continue to be a valuable high-leverage late-inning reliever for the Phillies and should be valuable in holds leagues, but he's unlikely to see many save opportunities in a stacked bullpen that also includes Seranthony Dominguez, Craig Kimbrel and Gregory Soto.

The Philadelphia Phillies and relief pitcher Jose Alvarado avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $3.45 million deal. The 27-year-old left-hander started off on the wrong foot in 2022 but bounced back in a big way and finished with a 3.18 ERA (1.92 FIP), 1.22 WHIP, two saves and a career-high 81 strikeouts in 51 relief innings in his second year in Philadelphia. Alvarado can certainly be dominant in high-leverage situations, but in the Phillies crowded bullpen, it's hard to project many save opportunities in a closing committee that will feature Alvarado, Seranthony Dominguez, Craig Kimbrel and Gregory Soto. Still, he'll be plenty valuable for his strikeouts and holds.

Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jose Alvarado needed only eight pitches to throw a scoreless inning on Thursday night at Atlanta. It was a nice bounce-back effort for the left-hander after he allowed four earned runs across his previous two outings. Alvarado has been one of the toughest relievers to predict as he can be lights-out, or have no command as his 19% walk rate is the highest among qualified relievers. Alvarado also earns a ton of strikeouts, but the walks have prevented him from being reliable enough to land a closer job despite his elite stuff. He's not a fantasy option heading into the last series of the year in Miami.

Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jose Alvarado only faced one batter on Wednesday versus the Orioles, but he still earned the victory despite throwing just two pitches. Fellow reliever Sam Coonrod was summoned to protect a one-run lead in the seventh inning, but he struggled and Alvarado was called on to escape the jam. He did and earned his seventh win of the season when the Phillies took the lead in the bottom of the inning. Alvarado has been much better in the second half with a 2.60 ERA over his last 14 innings after he struggled mightily earlier in the season. He's still earning plenty of strikeouts, but he appears to be behind Ian Kennedy and Hector Neris in the closer pecking order giving Alvarado little use in fantasy.

Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jose Alvarado pitched a scoreless ninth inning versus the Nationals on Monday to earn his fifth save. Called on to protect a three-run lead, Alvarado immediately found himself in hot water as he allowed a double and a walk to bring the tying run to the plate. The right-hander buckled down, however, earning two strikeouts and a groundout to nail down the save. Ian Kennedy was likely unavailable for this game and should still be considered the favorite for saves in the Philly bullpen. Alvarado remains a high-risk fantasy option as his 19.7% walk rate is easily the highest among relief pitchers and has led to the occasional blow-up outing. He should be added if something were to happen to Kennedy, but for now, Alvarado should be on waivers in most formats.

Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jose Alvarado (shoulder) was activated from the 10-day injured list on Thursday after dealing with shoulder soreness. The left-hander last appeared for the Phillies on Aug. 7, and he allowed one walk and struck out one in a scoreless rehab inning with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday before being activated. Alvarado does have four saves on the season, but he's been erratic with a career-high 8.5 walks per nine innings and a 4.89 FIP in 41 1/3 relief innings over 45 appearances. For now, he'll go back to a late-inning setup role alongside Archie Bradley in the Phillies bullpen. Veteran Ian Kennedy remains the favorite for saves in Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Phillies placed relief pitcher Jose Alvarado (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday due to an impingement in his left shoulder. The move is retroactive to August 8. Alvarado was the only lefty in the Phillies' bullpen, so the team will have to get by with just righties for the time being, unless they decide to push Matt Moore to the bullpen or call up a lefty. Alvarado stated that he hopes to be back with the team when first eligible on August 18. He's had a rough year this year. Over 41.1 innings, Alvarado has a 4.35 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP to go along with four saves and 11 holds.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mookie Betts hit a go-ahead single during a nine-run rally in the seventh inning after Washington ace Max Scherzer departed, and the Los Angeles Dodgers surged past the Nationals 10-5 Friday night for their seventh straight win. The Nationals lost slugger Kyle Schwarber in the second inning when he grabbed at his hamstring after a single. He hit a franchise-record 16 home runs in June. Julio Urías (10-3) allowed one earned run in six innings. Scherzer also allowed one earned run in six innings and struck out eight. Left-handed reliever Sam Clay (0-1) found trouble when he replaced Scherzer. Chris Taylor hit a leadoff double, a dribbler by pinch-hitter Albert Pujols scored him, and Austin Barnes was hit by a pitch. ANGELS 8, ORIOLES 7 ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani went deep twice to reach 30 homers this season and then scored the winning run on Jared Walsh’s two-out single in the ninth inning that lifted Los Angeles over Baltimore. Ohtani drew a walk from Paul Fry... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mookie Betts hit a go-ahead single during a nine-run rally in the seventh inning after Washington ace Max Scherzer departed, and the Los Angeles Dodgers surged past the Nationals 10-5 Friday night for their seventh straight win. The Nationals lost slugger Kyle Schwarber in the second inning when he grabbed at his hamstring after a single. He hit a franchise-record 16 home runs in June. Julio Urías (10-3) allowed one earned run in six innings. Scherzer also allowed one earned run in six innings and struck out eight. Left-handed reliever Sam Clay (0-1) found trouble when he replaced Scherzer. Chris Taylor hit a leadoff double, a dribbler by pinch-hitter Albert Pujols scored him, and Austin Barnes was hit by a pitch. ANGELS 8, ORIOLES 7 ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani went deep twice to reach 30 homers this season and then scored the winning run on Jared Walsh’s two-out single in the ninth inning that lifted Los Angeles over Baltimore. Ohtani drew a walk from Paul Fry... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mookie Betts hit a go-ahead single during a nine-run rally in the seventh inning after Washington ace Max Scherzer departed, and the Los Angeles Dodgers surged past the Nationals 10-5 Friday night for their seventh straight win. The Nationals lost slugger Kyle Schwarber in the second inning when he grabbed at his hamstring after a single. He hit a franchise-record 16 home runs in June. Starter Julio Urías (10-3) allowed one earned run in six innings. Scherzer also allowed one earned run in six innings and struck out eight. Left-handed reliever Sam Clay (0-1) found trouble when he replaced Scherzer. Chris Taylor hit a leadoff double, a dribbler by pinch-hitter Albert Pujols scored him, and Austin Barnes was hit by a pitch. BRAVES 1, MARLINS 0 ATLANTA (AP) — Miami starter Pablo López was ejected after plunking Ronald Acuña Jr. with his first pitch, leading to the only run in Atlanta's victory. The Braves got just two hits and still won their third in a row. The Marlins have... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mookie Betts hit a go-ahead single during a nine-run rally in the seventh inning after Washington ace Max Scherzer departed, and the Los Angeles Dodgers surged past the Nationals 10-5 Friday night for their seventh straight win. The Nationals lost slugger Kyle Schwarber in the second inning when he grabbed at his hamstring after a single. He hit a franchise-record 16 home runs in June. Starter Julio Urías (10-3) allowed one earned run in six innings. Scherzer also allowed one earned run in six innings and struck out eight. Left-handed reliever Sam Clay (0-1) found trouble when he replaced Scherzer. Chris Taylor hit a leadoff double, a dribbler by pinch-hitter Albert Pujols scored him, and Austin Barnes was hit by a pitch. PHILLIES 4, PADRES 3, 10 INNINGS PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Brad Miller doubled with one out in the 10th inning to lift Philadelphia over San Diego. The Phillies blew a 3-0 lead in the ninth inning — their 22nd blown save of the season and eighth in nine games.... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mookie Betts hit a go-ahead single during a nine-run rally in the seventh inning after Washington ace Max Scherzer departed, and the Los Angeles Dodgers surged past the Nationals 10-5 Friday night for their seventh straight win. The Nationals lost slugger Kyle Schwarber in the second inning when he grabbed at his hamstring after a single. He hit a franchise-record 16 home runs in June. Starter Julio Urías (10-3) allowed one earned run in six innings. Scherzer also allowed one earned run in six innings and struck out eight. Left-handed reliever Sam Clay (0-1) found trouble when he replaced Scherzer. Chris Taylor hit a leadoff double, a dribbler by pinch-hitter Albert Pujols scored him, and Austin Barnes was hit by a pitch. PHILLIES 4, PADRES 3, 10 INNINGS PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Brad Miller doubled with one out in the 10th inning to lift Philadelphia over San Diego. The Phillies blew a 3-0 lead in the ninth inning — their 22nd blown save of the season and eighth in nine games.... [More]