The Phillies are off to a promising start, with eight wins out of their first eleven games. The glue holding their bullpen together so far has been none other than Jose Alvarado.
Alvarado's been on the mound for six of those victorious outings, showcasing his exceptional talent as a closing force. With bullpen depth being tested early in the season, Philly is already finding itself in nail-biting contests. Luckily, they've got Alvarado to call upon when the game's on the line.
Just take Wednesday's crucial 4-3 win over the Atlanta Braves. Alvarado stepped up to secure the final four outs—a feat he hadn't done in nearly two years.
Over 30 pitches, Alvarado let loose, with 18 of them blazing past at 100 mph or more. It's the kind of performance that gets you out of your seat, something his teammate Bryce Harper certainly appreciated.
"I love watching him pitch," Harper admitted, noting Alvarado's infectious energy and presence at the game's end. "He’s just such a good dude.
I hope that he keeps this going."
And it's a hope the Phillies need to come true because their bullpen isn't exactly overflowing with options ready to take on Alvarado's workload.
The challenge of getting from starter Taijuan Walker's impressive 4 2/3 scoreless innings to Alvarado fell to José Ruiz and Joe Ross on Wednesday. With Matt Strahm sidelined and Orion Kerkering having thrown 27 pitches the night before, context dictated these middle relievers step up.
When Alvarado found himself in a bit of a jam in the ninth, with the Braves managing two singles, Kerkering had to be on standby. Had Alvarado faltered, the youngster Kerkering was ready to inherit the pressure cooker moment.
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