The Philadelphia Phillies had recently started to breathe easy in their bullpen. Of course, it was right before MLB suspended their most consistent reliever, José Alvarado. The 80-day suspension was effective immediately when Alvarado tested positive for exogenous Testosterone. Yes, the Phillies have officially lost their hardest-throwing arm to a banned PED. However, is Alvarado alone to be blamed?
Certainly not. Alvarado wasn’t always ‘consistent’ with his pitching. He was, in fact, in an utterly deep declining phase. It’s surprising that the Phillies didn’t do much about his rediscovered dominance. Cause where was it all this while? This league has witnessed many pitchers at an elite level in their 30s. However, it’s rarely the case when they see a pitcher’s average fastball velocity go from 99.6 mph at 27 to 98.7 mph at 28 and then 97.8 mph at 29.
Given the whole case with Alvarado, MLB insider David Murphy believes the Phillies can not be upset over losing Alvarado to a banned PED.
See, it sure stings for the Phillies that he will be away for the whole 80 games. In fact, if the Phillies make it to the playoffs, Alvarado wouldn’t be there. But the bigger picture is different here. It’s the fact that the Phillies have relied on him so much.
Yes, Alvarado’s pitching was remarkable; however, PED had a role in it. Without them, they would be cooked anyway. So, it doesn’t really make sense if the Phillies are upset over losing him. What would they have possibly gained from him?
Just in the span of April, across 14⅔ innings, Alvarado struck out 21, walked just 2 and gave up 3 earned runs. That draws a contrast with his 2023 postseason performance, or even we can say his inconsistent numbers in 2024—4.09 ERA, 63 Ks, and 28 BBs in 61⅔ innings. It doesn’t seem real anymore, and the Phillies should best believe Alvarado wouldn’t have been sustainable for them.
All said and done, Alvarado wasn’t the first guy in MLB to use PED and he’ll certainly not be the last.
Before Alvarado, another player was suspended over PED use just recently
Not so long ago, MLB handed out another 80-game PED suspension to the Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar. Just like Alvarado, Profar will also be missing the postseason if the Braves make it there. However, he will be able to return in the middle of the season.
Apparently, Profar tested positive for Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG). It’s a banned PED according to MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The Braves were severely disappointed by this violation made by Profar.
The team issued a public statement to support the MLB’s joint prevention and treatment program. They emphasized their hope that Profar should be able to learn from his mistake.
Later, Profar himself released a statement through the MLB players’ association. Profar apologized to the entire league and fans by stating, “This is especially painful for me because anyone who knows me and has seen me play knows I am deeply passionate about the game. There is nothing I love more than competing with my teammates and being a fan favorite. I want to apologize to the entire Braves organization, my teammates, and the fans.”
The league certainly doesn’t tolerate PED use for all the right reasons. There are no exceptions. It has become a growing concern now – the fact that players have been using such substances to enhance their performance.
The timing of these two suspensions was around a month apart, but the concern is the same. It not only puts the players’ team in the center of the unwanted attention but it also affects the players’ entire career journey.
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