Phillies ‘moving on’ after José Alvarado takes ‘full responsibility’ for PED suspension

PHILADELPHIA — In the aftermath of his 80-game suspension for a performance-enhancing drug on May 18, José Alvarado traveled home to his native Venezuela. He needed to get away — from Philadelphia, from social media, from the noise.

The left-hander was disappointed. He prepared on his own, throwing bullpens and facing live hitters. And he never stopped following the Phillies from afar.

“A lot,” Alvarado said. “I watched my teammates every day.”

It was tough. During some games, he’d identify a time when he’d probably be trotting out of the bullpen to protect a lead for the Phillies. Instead, all he could do was watch.

“It’s hard, because a couple moments, I said to my family, ‘This is my time,'” Alvarado said. “That happened, but I flushed the toilet. I’m here.”

Now, Alvarado and the Phillies are ready to move forward. For 78 days, the reliever was away from the club after testing positive for exogenous testosterone. He returned to Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday and addressed the team. While Alvarado said he did not intend to take a banned substance, he apologized and took “full responsibility.”

“First and foremost, I’m just happy to be back, incredible to back,” Alvarado told reporters in Spanish through an interpretation by Phillies assistant general manager Jorge Velandia. “I talked to all my teammates and the staff, and I apologized to them. I have missed them deeply. I’m happy to be back and be around the guys, and I just can’t wait until I can contribute in some ways.”

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Alvarado’s speech to the clubhouse was “short and sweet” but meaningful. His teammates seemed to accept his apology.

“He just wanted to apologize to everyone, and I think that’s the main focus,” Orion Kerkering said. “I can always respect him just being able to know how he is and know what he did wrong and just be able to address it.”

Are there any hard feelings toward Alvarado after he missed a big chunk of the season?

“No,” Jordan Romano said, “it kind of is what it is. And we’re happy to have him back for the time we do.”

“I think it’s just one of those moments,” Kerkering said. “It’s just like, you live and you learn, and that’s all it is.”

Alvarado threw a bullpen on Tuesday as he prepares to rejoin the bullpen once his suspension. He can return to action on Aug. 19, and he’s expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment in the coming days.

“We’re moving on,” Thomson said.

But the punishment is not yet over, and the consequences of Alvarado’s actions will likely still affect the Phillies even after he’s back in action. The lefty will not be permitted to play in the postseason if the team makes it. The Phillies did add a star closer in Jhoan Duran, but they will certainly miss Alvarado in October. No reliever has made more playoff appearances since 2022 than Alvarado.

“Unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to participate if we make the playoffs, and that’s something that I’m always going to carry in my heart,” Alvarado said. “Unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to do so, and that’s something that I really take hard.”

Alvarado can, however, help make sure the Phillies get there. He said he doesn’t believe the substance he tested positive for impacted his performance earlier this season. If that’s the case and he pitches at a similar level, it’ll be a big boost for the bullpen down the stretch.

“I think every game counts right now, and then every game counted before,” Kerkering said. “So I think every game now, especially with how good teams are — Dodgers, Brewers, Cubs, I mean, everyone that’s on the top of the bracket — I think just getting at that first (or) second seed and just being able to have that first-round bye, I think that’s the most important thing.”

With that opportunity, Alvarado wants to prove to the Phillies and the city of Philadelphia that he’s matured and that they can rely on him in the future.

“I’m here to show the world what I am, my work ethic, who I am,” Alvarado said. “I accept whatever has happened to me in the past, but I’m always going to take it upon myself to show the fans that I truly am who I am, and I’m very sorry for what happened.”