In the top of the eighth of a tie-game, the Phillies turned to Jose Alvarado out of the bullpen on Opening Day. The Phillies acquired Alvarado in a savvy three-team trade in late December. Alvarado came up in the Tampa Bay Rays’ organization, where he made his debut in 2017. The left-handed reliever is of the fireball-throwing variety with a fastball hitting a 97 MPH average. He also throws a curveball and a cutter.
During his first two seasons, Alvarado pitched a combined 93.2 innings, striking out 109 batters while earning a 2.