PHILADELPHIA — Shortly after José Alvarado was officially reinstated from his suspension on Tuesday afternoon, the pitcher walked in from the outfield at Citizens Bank and toward the first-base dugout. The relievers had just finished stretching and throwing, and joining Alvarado on the warning track was Jhoan Duran, the Phillies’ star closer.
Alvarado was the team’s best reliever at the start of the season before being banned for 80 games starting May 18 for failing a drug test. Duran, acquired at the trade deadline, is Philadelphia’s new prized ninth-inning weapon. The two now share a bullpen for the first time, and their potential in high-leverage situations is tantalizing.