Venezuela reached the semifinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic after a tight game against Japan, and the team hopes for a similar result against Italy. To help lighten the load, Venezuela will have José Alvarado available, the Philadelphia Phillies reliever who was limited to 28 appearances last season.
Alvarado is a highly experienced reliever with a 3.47 career ERA, putting him in a strong position to provide exactly what Venezuela may need, controlling opposing hitters and protecting the score if the team takes the lead.
In his most recent MLB season, Alvarado finished with a 3.81 ERA in 28 games. His year was affected by injuries, including a forearm strain that ended his season, and he also served an 80-game suspension for violating MLB’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
Alvarado replacing a right-hander
Alvarado will take the roster spot of right-hander Yoendrys Gómez. While pitching for Venezuela, Gómez delivered a solid performance with nine whiffs and three strikeouts in two innings against Nicaragua. Even though the matchup was not particularly difficult, he showed he was in strong form.
Before Alvarado agreed to join the team, Venezuela had also reached out to another Phillies arm, Jesús Luzardo, who was born in Peru to Venezuelan parents. However, according to reports, Luzardo declined the opportunity to pitch in the semifinals. “Jesus Luzardo turned down pitching for Team Venezuela, per Manager Lopez,” Underdog MLB reported on X.
It is worth remembering that back in February there were reports that Alvarado would not play for Venezuela because of insurance issues, a situation that also affected players from other national teams. In the end, he will be available, and the semifinal matchup against Italy could serve as a chance to see just how strong his arm is.