Only one pitcher in Major League Baseball, Houston’s Bryan Abreu (21.0) has pitched more postseason innings than Jose Alvarado (20.0) since 2022. During this three-year playoff run, no reliever has been more important or instrumental to the success the Phillies have had over the last three Octobers. This season, he has been their greatest late-inning weapon, the reliever in whom manager Rob Thomson has had the most trust, sometimes to the point of overuse. His 2.70 ERA and 1.84 FIP, 11.25 K/9 and 0.8 fWAR point to his effectiveness.
None of it matters now in the wake of Alvarado’s 80-game PED suspension and postseason ineligibility.