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Pirates Designate Elvis Alvarado For Assignment

By Steve Adams | January 29, 2025 at 9:09am CDT

The Pirates announced Wednesday that they’ve designated right-hander Elvis Alvarado for assignment. His spot on the 40-man roster will go to infielder/outfielder Adam Frazier, whose previously reported one-year deal to return to his original organization has now been formally announced by the team.

Alvarado, 26 next month, has yet to make his big league debut. He signed the with Pirates as a free agent just over six weeks ago but did so on a split major league deal, giving him separate salaries in the majors and minors (paid out in prorated fashion based on where he’s pitching). Today’s DFA doesn’t necessarily preclude him from pitching in the majors, but he’ll first have to clear waivers and, if he does, pitch his way onto the MLB roster either this spring or at some point during the regular season.

Originally signed out of the Dominican Republic by the Nationals, Alvarado has also pitched with the Mariners, Tigers and Marlins organizations. He spent the bulk of the 2024 campaign with Miami’s Triple-A affiliate in Jacksonville, where he logged a 2.79 ERA and fanned a whopping 33.1% of his opponents in 48 1/3 innings pitched. However, command issues that Alvarado had experienced in the lower minors and looked to have moved past instead resurfaced; he issued a free pass to a glaring 17.8% of his opponents and plunked five of the 214 batters he faced as well. Overall, 20.1% of his opponents reached base without putting a ball in play.

Alvarado has a major fastball, averaging a blazing 98 mph on the pitch last season and coupling it with an 86.6 mph slider (on average) and 96.1 mph sinker (on average). He threw that heater nearly three quarters of the time, generally overpowering opponents with the pitch but also displaying scattershot command of the strike zone.

The Pirates will have five days to trade Alvarado. He’d have to be placed on waivers at that point, as waivers are a 48-hour process and the DFA window lasts only seven days. If he’s not traded, that split contract he signed will make it likelier that he’s able to pass through waivers. Most teams likely weren’t willing to commit a 40-man spot to Alvarado — and those that were may not have offered as compelling a package in terms of minor league salary. If he does clear, he’ll likely be in camp as a non-roster invitee and hope to impress enough to get a big league bullpen job.

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Pittsburgh Pirates Transactions Elvis Alvarado

Pirates Sign Adam Frazier
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Reds, Wade Miley Agree To Minor League Deal
View Comments (25)
Post a Comment

25 Comments

  1. Idosteroids

    8 months ago

    Turns out he was nothing but a hound dog.

    4
    Reply
    • Acoss1331

      8 months ago

      Will he be staying at heartbreak hotel?

      3
      Reply
    • MLB Top 100 Commenter

      8 months ago

      If Cubs signed him, they could have Elvis pitch and then Pressly.

      3
      Reply
  2. CALgoldenBears

    8 months ago

    Apparently he left the building

    5
    Reply
    • Flanster

      8 months ago

      Beat me to it

      Reply
    • letitbelowenstein

      8 months ago

      Elvis has left the roster.

      Reply
  3. CALgoldenBears

    8 months ago

    If he goes to the Braves, easy commute to pickup his 2 Falcons tickets left by Jerry Glanville

    Reply
  4. آلي مكبيل_.._.بيتزا بيبيروني آشتون كوتشر

    8 months ago

    Rather kept Elvis than have another second baseman, utility type on the team who will play RF.

    3
    Reply
    • mlb1225

      8 months ago

      Apparently Frazier won’t be their go-to RF, but I agree nonetheless.

      Reply
      • Dock, you're pitching today

        8 months ago

        I’m a bit surprised Frazier was a major league contract given last season. That said, he’s due for a bounce back year and provides a needed left-handed infield bat, which probably speaks volumes about their lack of confidence (justified) in Bae.

        Reply
        • mlb1225

          8 months ago

          He’s been due for a bounceback since the Pirates traded him at the 2021 deadline. At this point, they might be able to figure out Bae before Frazier rebounds.

          Reply
      • آلي مكبيل_.._.بيتزا بيبيروني آشتون كوتشر

        8 months ago

        I’m sure Billy Cook, Nick York, Adam Frazier, Horwitz, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Liover Peguero, Jared Triolo, Nick Gonzales, Enmanuel Valdez, Ji Hwan Bae, and Alika Williams will all see time at 2b and most of those will see time in the outfield as well. That’s a lot in the mix and should be three players maximum. Seperately, because of his back issues, they should try Hayes in RF and Triolo at third. One step further, trade Isiah and test Liover at short on a full time basis.

        Reply
  5. draker

    8 months ago

    At least he managed to avoid having a Blue Christmas

    3
    Reply
  6. BaseballBrian

    8 months ago

    He should invent some backup cleats called the Jordan Airs.

    Reply
  7. holecamels35

    8 months ago

    I mean, he looks more interesting than someone like Bae or Alika Willaims in my opinion, but running out of room in the pitching staff.

    Reply
  8. HalosHeavenJJ

    8 months ago

    It can’t be fun standing in the box against a guy who throws 98 with no control.

    1
    Reply
  9. mlb1225

    8 months ago

    I didn’t expect Alvarado to become a lockdown closer, but the guy can hit 101 MPH. I at least wanted to see if Oscar Marin and Brent Strom could figure him out. I’d rather have seen Joey Wentz or someone like Emmanuel Valdez or Alika Williams DFA’d before Alvarado.

    1
    Reply
    • piratesanddbacksfan

      8 months ago

      Agree with Bae,Valdez & Williams…Wentz on the other hand I think Marin & Strom can work with turn him into a serviceable reliever

      Reply
  10. olmtiant

    8 months ago

    His response to this news??? Thank u…. Thank u very much……..

    3
    Reply
  11. Jacksson13

    8 months ago

    C’mon Guys…
    Enough with the puns already;
    DON’T BE CRUEL !!

    3
    Reply
  12. BringBackDunkeroos

    8 months ago

    And yet Alika to the Center of the Tootsie Pop Williams still has a roster spot. Every time I think this team can’t get any worse they find a way.

    3
    Reply
    • Ghost of Willie Stargell

      8 months ago

      They are so frustrating. I will never understand Cherington.

      Reply
  13. panj341

    8 months ago

    Way more upside than .200 hitter Frazier. Hope they are not making another mistake.

    Reply
    • TheMan 3

      8 months ago

      Williams is another player who can’t hit his weight and has no power at all
      He’s a waste of a roster spot

      Reply
  14. Hebner3B

    8 months ago

    Watching the Pirates make transactions is like being in a weird dream that doesn’t make sense…only to wake up and realize it wasn’t a weird dream.

    2
    Reply

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