The Yankees, Royals and Marlins are among the teams that have scouted a recent throwing session from right-hander Henderson Alvarez, The Athletic’s Marc Carig reports while chronicling the 29-year-old’s latest comeback efforts. Alvarez has frequently taken to social media to post clips of his workouts and bullpen sessions, and he’s drawn at least a few speculative scouting assignments, although obviously no deal has come together yet. If or when he does sign, it’d surely be on a minor league pact.
Since being named to the NL All-Star team as a 24-year-old back in 2014, Alvarez has thrown just 37 innings in the Major Leagues and 116 1/3 innings of affiliated ball in the minors. He’s also tallied 165 1/3 frames in the Mexican League. Alvarez underwent shoulder surgery in both 2015 and 2016 — the effects of which have largely derailed what looked to be an otherwise promising career. However, he remains motivated to return to the big leagues, telling Carig: “I know I can still give more.”
Alvarez did pitch in affiliated ball last year, throwing 53 innings with the Nationals’ Triple-A club. Like most pitchers in Triple-A — the Pacific Coast League in particular — he was plagued by home runs, serving up 15 long balls en route to a 5.94 ERA. After being cut loose by the Nats, Alvarez returned to Mexico to make six starts for los Tigres de Quintana Roo. In 34 2/3 innings, he logged a 3.12 ERA with a 23-to-5 K/BB ratio and a 57.6 percent ground-ball rate. He closed out the season with a complete-game victory wherein he allowed one run.
The Yankees have lost Luis Severino for the season (Tommy John surgery) and James Paxton for more than a month of the regular season (back surgery), so it’s only natural to see them at least exploring depth additions in the rotation. At the moment, it looks as though Jordan Montgomery will take the fourth spot behind Gerrit Cole, Masahiro Tanaka and J.A. Happ. The competition for the fifth spot includes Luis Cessa, Jonathan Loaisiga, Mike King and Chad Bettis, among others.
The Royals, meanwhile, don’t have a defined fifth starter, and club decision-makers have been open about the possibility of bringing in a veteran option even as they allow their plethora of highly regarded young arms to compete for that starting job. Brad Keller, Danny Duffy, Jakob Junis and Mike Montgomery should hold down the top four spots. The competition for the team’s fifth starter presently is vast and could ultimately be a revolving door early in the year if the club opts to use an opener. Jesse Hahn, Eric Skoglund and Chance Adams are among the names on the 40-man roster vying for a look. Top prospects Brady Singer, Daniel Lynch and Jackson Kowar could all be factors eventually as well.
Rotation help isn’t as needed in Miami, where the Marlins have a wealth of controllable options with MLB experience who’ll comprise one of the game’s youngest starting staffs. Sandy Alcantara, Caleb Smith, Pablo Lopez, Jose Urena and Jordan Yamamoto have the most experience, and the wave of high-end arms immediately behind them includes the likes of Sixto Sanchez, Nick Neidert and Edward Cabrera. But Alvarez’s lone All-Star season in ’14 came as a Marlin, and a comeback with the Miami organization would make for a compelling storyline in South Florida.
I’m not a Red Sox fan, but it probably makes Red Sox fans happy to see the Yankees mentioned in the same headline as the Marlins and Royals looking for a reclamation project pitcher.
Not really. The Yankees can still win 90-100 games with or without Henderson Alvarez. It’s a depth issue not a necessity issue.
Yankees also have Nick Nelson and Trevor Stephan as options plus an interesting option in Miguel Yajure outside of what was mentioned here.
Cashman dumpster diving again. He might as well go get Bartolo Colon while he’s at it.
Brian Cashman finds gems when he dumpster dives. (Gio Urshela, Mike Tauchman, etc) If he got Bartolo Colon, u can be sure he would pitch really well for the Yanks.
He got bartolo once and it helped extend his career.
I’m actually a Red Sox fan and I was actually going to say I wish the Red Sox were looking at him too. As things stand right now the Sox only have 3 healthy starters and Alvarez was once a VERY solid ML-SP. if he can regain any of his prior success I think he’d be a great low risk – high reward pickup for the Red Sox. Who at this point could really use to find a hidden gem somewhere for their own rotation. And Alvarez, given his pre-injury track record could be a solid pickup for a team so desperate for P that I’d be on board with giving him a shot!
No joy here. Just more suspicious behavior. Maybe c c bean comes out of retirement. Talk about suspicious.
Suspicious like Big PEDi’s age 40 season? Fat, 40 and the worst feet in baseball and the dude leads all the young bucks in baseball in doubles? For starters. (RBI’s, slugging and OPS as well.) Without PED’s? On the worst feet in baseball? I don’t think so.
Go cubs go
Not anymore.
That’s what Cashman does he’s lucky Cole agreed to sign. He’s always looking on the clearance racks since he and his staff can’t develop their own starting pitchers.
Good GMs and teams look EVERYWHERE for talent. It would be foolish to only look at certain players.
Besides, there isn’t much need to go all out for another pitcher ATM. April has so many off days, a fifth starter isn’t needed so much. Paxton will be back soon enough and German will come in shortly after.
9 years 324 mill says he was more dumb and desperate than lucky.
Making the pitcher that every person said would be the highest paid ever, the highest paid ever is desperate? Cool story bro.
Making him the highest paid ever is one thing. Making him the highest paid ever by that margin is desperation.
Dodgers and angels offered him $300 mil. They had to up the offer if they wanted him.
It’s called due diligence. Pretty standard for a team with a large scouting dept. Not rocket science.
Why would he throw a complete- game in any league at this point?
bring him back to Philly Klentak! this is my man here.
yanks are desperate
We heard you were too?
Clone the 2017 no-hitter Alvarez!
you mean 2013?
D’oh, that was Edinson Volquez! I always mix them up.
So I guess Deivi Garcia is starting in AAA or the bullpen? A bit of a blow to my dynasty league team lol
He’s going to need more time seasoning in AAA to be a starter. Yankees have better experienced options for relief pitching. Really no reason to start his service clock so I gave him zero chance at breaking camp.
Good luck with your team! I do miss playing fantasy (too time-consuming). The last time was when I luckily drafted Mike Trout’s rookie season and Miggy’ Triple Crown. Completely wiped the floor with everyone else.
I can’t disagree Yankees are desperate because the entire league is Anti Yankees since the Pirates took a lesser package from Astros orginally for Cole. Like I said Cashman and other can’t develop starting pitchers.
“Like I said Cashman and other can’t develop starting pitchers.”
Yeah, we know. It’s pretty much all you say.
Go cubs go
Ive wanted the orioles to sign him since he was in oakland