July 8: The outlook on Alvarado is worse than originally anticipated. Topkin tweets that following an MRI and a meeting with a doctor yesterday, the Rays expect Alvardo to be sidelined for anywhere from six to eight weeks.
Tampa Bay is facing a stretch of games that’ll prove pivotal to determining their level of aggression as the trade deadline approaches. The loss of Alvarado for such a substantial chunk of time will surely play into that calculus between now and July 31, as their need for ’pen reinforcements is now even more acute.
July 6: According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter links), Rays lefty Jose Alvarado has suffered an oblique injury that could keep him sidelined for the next 2-6 weeks. Alvarado was pulled from today’s game against the Yankees after wincing on the follow-through of his final pitch.
Alvarado, 24, hasn’t exactly provided invaluable innings to the Rays’ bullpen this year (4.85 ERA / 3.55 FIP across 26 innings), but much of that damage came in a recent five-run meltdown two appearances ago. It was only last year that he posted terrific numbers in his first full big league campaign. In 2018, the sizable left-hander recorded 80 K’s in 64 innings for the 90-win Rays, while logging a terrific 2.39 ERA.
The Tampa Bay bullpen, on the whole, has been quite effective in 2019, with a collective 3.65 ERA–good enough for second among all major league relief units. Alvarado had only returned to that group on June 29th, following nearly a month away from the team spent tending to a family health emergency in his native Venezuela. There has been no word yet of resultant roster moves in the wake of this injury.
The only reason his ERA is that high is bc Cash left him to allow 6 ER in less than an inning before making a change. It was in the low 3’s before
“Sizable?” How about plus size?
“Family health emergency in Venezuela?” How about a revolution?
Best thing for him. Hopefully the war in Venezuela will be over when he’s back
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Oblique injuries are almost always time consuming. If it’s forecast at 6-8 weeks, I’d be banking on a pitcher being out for closer to the latter or longer.
Seth Lugo and syndergaard for wander Franco
I thought it was revolution and total chaos in Venezuela…..
I’m not sure including “sizable” was necessary or added anything to the story.