5 trade targets from the Philadelphia Phillies for the Colorado Rockies

Philadelphia Phillies reliever José Alvarado is another bullpen option for the Colorado Rockies

José Alvarado is another left-handed reliever that the Philadelphia Phillies have that could help the Colorado Rockies out but, unlike Ranger Suárez, Alvarado would definitely be a reliever.

Alvarado, 26, was acquired by the Phillies from the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team, three-player deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2021 season. In his first season with the Phillies, Alvarado appeared in 64 games and he had a 4.20 ERA (100 ERA+). He had a FIP of 4.80 and a WHIP of 1.599 and he also had five saves.

Alvarado averaged 99.4 MPH on his sinker (his primary pitch) in 2021 but while he has major velocity, that WHIP is so high because, often, he doesn’t know where the ball is going. In 55 2/3 innings, Alvarado walked more batters (47) than he allowed hits (42).

It’s been a problem for him for a few years now as he averaged six walks per nine innings in 2020 (albeit, only in nine games) and 8.1 walks per nine innings in 2019.

However, if he could get his control issues under control as he had in 2017 and 2018 as, in a combined 105 games, he averaged 3.7 walks per nine innings. As a result, he had an ERA of 2.79, a FIP of 2.36, and a much lower WHIP of 1.11.

For the Rockies, he could be good for them with his groundball rate as in his career, it is 53.6 percent.

He is entering his second year of arbitration eligibility this offseason.