Matt Strahm is now in his third season with the Philadelphia Phillies and has known José Alvarado since 2023. The news of Alvarado’s 80-game suspension has sparked a range of reactions, and Strahm didn’t stay silent—though his response was notably brief.
“I’m still processing it. I want to talk to Alvi himself and get it straight from the horse’s mouth. But it *****.” That was Strahm’s reaction when asked by NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark about Alvarado’s unpaid suspension for PED use.
His comments follow Bryce Harper’s, who recently broke his silence on the situation, and manager Rob Thomson, who has already said the team needs to move forward with plenty of baseball still to play.
Strahm Might Miss Alvarado’s Arm
As a key piece of the Phillies’ bullpen, Strahm could certainly feel the absence of Alvarado, who had posted a 4–1 record with a 2.70 ERA at the time of the suspension. Strahm, for his part, is currently 1–2 with a 2.89 ERA through 21 appearances this season.
Over the last two seasons, Strahm has been used exclusively as a reliever, after starting 10 games in 2023. In his three years with Philadelphia, he’s compiled a 2.72 ERA across 143 appearances. Alvarado, meanwhile, owns a 3.37 ERA overall since joining the Phillies in 2021—2023 being his strongest season, and 2025 shaping up to be another solid campaign before the suspension hit.
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Will the Phillies bullpen suffer without Alvarado?
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The Phillies’ Bullpen Outlook
So far, the Phillies’ bullpen hasn’t shown many signs of struggle following Alvarado’s suspension. In fact, a few relievers have stepped up, including Jordan Romano, who’s coming off four consecutive strong outings. As a group, the bullpen currently holds a 4.57 ERA.
