Phillies trade for a lefty reliever with big velo originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Dave Dombrowski has made his first trade as Phillies president of baseball operations.
Dombrowski, who promised to be aggressive in filling holes in what was the worst bullpen in the majors in 2020, has acquired hard-throwing left-handed reliever Jose Alvarado from the Tampa Bay Rays in a trade that involves three teams.
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The Phillies are sending left-handed reliever Garrett Cleavinger to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Alvarado, 25, is 6-2 and 245 pounds. He has an electric fastball that reaches the high 90s but control has been an issue throughout his career. In 2018, Alvarado pitched in 70 games for Tampa Bay and had a 2.39 ERA while striking out over 11 batters per nine innings. He struggled with injuries the last two seasons, including a bout with shoulder inflammation that limited him to nine regular-season games in 2020. He made two appearances in the postseason for Tampa Bay.
Alvarado has some experience closing games and could get a look in that role. He is eligible for salary arbitration.
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