Maybe “workhorse” is too strong a term to use in describing left-handed reliever Jose Alvarez. Yes, he’s pitched in 64 games over each of the last two seasons. Yes, he leads the league in appearances this season. And yes, he’s on pace to pitch in exactly half of the 162 games scheduled for 2017.
His 26 appearances this season leads the team and is tied for the American League lead. However, his appearances haven’t been overly taxing if broken down by individual outings.
“Reliable,” perhaps, might be a bit more accurate term in evaluating the importance of Alvarez, who recorded his first major league save on April 28 at Texas.