Philadelphia Phillies reliever Jose Alvarado has been suspended 80 games without pay for violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy after testing positive for exogenous testosterone, a performance-enhancing substance. The suspension is effective immediately and makes Alvarado ineligible for the postseason this year.
According to Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, Alvarado took a weight-loss drug during the offseason that caused his positive test result. Dombrowski stated that Alvarado accepted the suspension without appealing, saying it was not something he did knowingly.
Alvarado, who leads the team with seven saves this season, will lose $4.5 million in salary due to the suspension. He is expected to be eligible to return on August 19 against Seattle. The Phillies have a good pitching staff that can fill Alvarado’s role, including Jordan Romano and Orion Kerkering.
This suspension marks the second major league player suspended under MLB’s drug testing program this season, following Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar. Right-hander Jose Ruiz was activated to replace Alvarado on the roster after being placed on the injured list with neck spasms.
Source: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/45208600/phillies-reliever-jose-alvarado-suspended-80-games-mlb