Breaking news: Phillies closer suspended for 80 games for positive drug test.
José Alvarado, the closer for the Philadelphia Phillies, was given an 80-game suspension on Sunday after testing positive for exogenous testosterone as part of Major League Baseball’s drug-testing protocol.
After Atlanta outfielder Jurickson Profar, Alvarado was the second player suspended this season under the major league testing protocol.
The Phillies suffered an unanticipated and severe blow with Jose Alvarado’s suspension.
José Alvarado, a reliever for the Phillies, tested positive for exogenous testosterone and was given an 80-game suspension.
The announcement that José Alvarado had been banned without pay for 80 games by Major League Baseball after testing positive for exogenous testosterone was a surprise blow to the Phillies on Sunday.
The fact that his infraction also disqualifies him from the postseason is even more heartbreaking.
Before the series finale against the Pirates, the club was informed of the suspension and released the following statement:
The Phillies will now be without one of their most reliable arms out of the bullpen — and one of the most dominant relievers throughout the sport.
“To me, I end up treating it like an injury,” said president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. “He isn’t eligible for that time frame because you need to replace someone for 80 games and then, ideally, into the postseason.
“Based on the way he spoke to me, I don’t think he did it intentionally. In essence, the system is quite strict in that you are in charge of what you put into your body. It truly boils down to that.
He has always been self-conscious about his weight and has been working hard to reduce it, so I knew what he was doing. He did take something that had a favorable outcome, but in the end, you’re still accountable if it occurs.”
Alvarado was unable to comment on the ban since he was not at Citizens Bank Park. In 2025, he pitched 20 games and finished 4-1 with a 2.70 ERA. He might play against the Mariners on August 19.
