The Phillies announced that left-hander José Alvarado has been placed on the restricted list to attend to a personal matter. Right-hander Michael Mercado has been recalled to take his active roster spot. Players on the restricted list don’t take up a spot on the 40-man roster, so the Phillies’ count drops to 39 for the time being.
The club hasn’t provided any information about Alvarado’s personal situation or how long he might away from the team. That will make his status a complete mystery until more information comes to light.
Alvarado has been an erratic but occasionally effective reliever in his career. He has walked 12.9% of batters he has faced but also struck out 29.6% of them. That wildness has led to oscillating results in terms of run prevention. He had a 2.39 ERA in 2018 but that number jumped up in the next three seasons, finishing between 4.20 and 6.00. He got down to 3.18 in 2022 and just 1.74 last year, but has bounced back up to 4.30 here in 2024.
For however long Alvarado is out of the picture, the Phillies will be down to Matt Strahm and Tanner Banks as their bullpen lefties. Kolby Allard and Tyler Gilbert are also on the 40-man roster but currently on optional assignment. The club could use their open roster spot to claim someone off waivers or promote someone already in the system, but Alvarado will need to be added back to the roster whenever he returns to the club.
Alvarado won’t collect pay or service time while on the restricted list. He and the Phillies agreed to an extension in February of 2023 which runs through 2025. Per that deal, his salary is $9MM this year. Each day he’s away will save the Phils about $48K, plus taxes. Per RosterResource, their current competitive balance tax number is $262MM. They are a third-time payor, meaning they pay a 50% tax on spending over the $237MM base threshold and a 62% rate on spending over the second line of $257MM. Subtracting Alvarado’s salary will also lead to about $30K in daily tax savings.
Hope all is well personally with Alvarado. Keep waiting for the DFA on Walker… can’t throw another pitch for them.
I think Walker hasn’t been healthy all season. They should just put him back on the IL and let him prepare for next season. I can’t see any chance he helps them this season, but I would not eat that money unless he pitches poorly at the beginning of 2025.
If I’m not mistaken, he’s only on year two of his four year deal. I don’t see the Phillies DFAing Walker. Maybe a bad contract swap in the off-season???
Use Walker as part of the trade (to offset salary) when the Phillies acquire Mike Trout this winter:
Taijuan Walker (18.5mil/40 man)
Mick Abel (#6)
Griff McGarry (#14)
Andrew Walling (#38)
Cal Stevenson (40 man)
Carlos de la Cruz (#12)
For
Mike Trout
Reid Detmers
The Phillies are one of maybe 3 teams that can absorb that Trout contract. If they take it on, he can bump to RF and DH in 2026 when Castellanos & Schwarber contracts expire. The home town hero would be our cleanup hitter behind Harper for the next 5 years. They also wouldn’t have to give up a top 5 prospect AND could rid themselves of Taijuan Walker. Trout should be healthy and fresh come spring, this trade makes too much sense.
It doesn’t matter unless Arte wants to get rid of Trout and Co.
A fish swimming upstream.
I’m a Braves fan 609, but that is one of the most reasonable deals I have ever seen on here constructed for Trout.
Major League Baseball would be better because of it. I think Mike Trout has played his last game as an Angel.
Dude can’t stay on the field, but if you need him for the 60-day IL, I’m sure something can be worked out.
It always amazes me how people suggest trades for Trout, without totally not understanding that he wants to be an Angel for life. Dude likes it there, has never given an indication he wants to go anywhere else.
You sure about that? I live about 20 minutes from Mike Trout and know people close to him, including his first cousin. Also know people who work in front offices of professional baseball. Trout has done a good job of showing his gratitude towards the Angels organization, he’s a very humble guy. But have to say you are wrong on this one.
You gotta stop suggesting basically this same trade every other Phillies article.
There is absolutely no way the Phillies make that deal even if trout/arte are ok with it. Not every player wants to be on their hometown or childhood team. And the prospect cost is more than any gm should entertain given trout age, money left on his deal and recent struggles with injury. They can afford to try again with walker next year and dfa him closer to the end of his deal if his poor performance continues. Walker’s deal is far shorter and less costly than trout so it’s not as meaningful an offset as you’re thinking. And given the likelihood that trout will need more dh time to stay on the field it’s a very tough roster fit with schwarbs and castellanos around for a while longer.
I may be misremembering but I think I recall that trout has said he’s not particularly interested in going to Philly, something to do with wanting more separation between work and home/hometown life I think.
Most people that move to Southern California from Philadelphia prefer to stay in Southern California.
Nope sign Juan Soto
Hear me out on this one. I wonder if we could see an offseason trade of Taijuan Walker and Nick Castellanos to the Rockies for Kris Bryant, Zac Veen, and maybe another prospect.
It could give the Phillies a center fielder of the future that is probably ready to go now. And it could reunite Bryant with his old buddy Bryce Harper and maybe reignite his competitive spirit and passion for the game. Most importantly for the Phillies it would lessen their salary on a per year basis even though Bryant is due to be paid longer. When you factor out taxes, it would save them $10 million per over the next two years.
For the Rockies, it would give them a much needed starter who has always been fairly decent at Coors. Castellanos is primarily for salary matching and could probably just be flipped elsewhere. Losing Veen wouldn’t hurt much since Doyle has all but claimed CF for the foreseeable future.
hiflew: I like this idea. Bryant has had back injuries since he was with the cubs but I wonder if he could play through some of those flare-ups if he was more motivated.
They actually moved Walker up in the prefer to face the Stros. Might as well get Stubbs warmed up in the bullpen so he can take over in the second inning when the Phillies fall behind by 10 runs.
Welp at least we won’t see Yordon hit one off the remnants of The Vet
when does Blue Bloods come back??
…not for nuthin, I think sometime in October and the series concludes sometime before christmas.
Nice reference. Donnie Wahlberg
Really now, Lieutenant Lip, I didn’t expect you to be a big baseball fan comin’ from West Virginia.
Blue bloods will return in the fall. Lol. Love that show and I like Hawaii 5.0 when they were on back to back.
Wish Alvarado all the best. I hope it’s something not legal or fatal.
Regarding the chatter on Walker, he needs to come up with a mysterious injury before his next scheduled start. He’s worse than when the Phillies overpaid for Arietta. Bad investment. But there’s gotta be someone out there to be the number 5 down the stretch.
I think Walker will be ILed. They called up Mercado, who was bad in Philadelphia but has a 1.95 ERA for the Iron Pigs.
He sucks
DannyQ3913, he plays a game for a job… What do you do?
Well he does his job poorly.
I won’t assume. No matter how his season has gone, I hope he is OK and I hope his family is OK. If he comes back, I hope things worked out for him and he does well. I am rooting for him.