Rob Thomson wasn’t silent on the José Alvarado drama. In a recent statement, the Philadelphia Phillies manager revealed the message he delivered to his bullpen in an effort to maintain morale among his pitchers.
“Just do your thing and try not to do more than who you are because I truly believe that we have enough stuff in our ‘pen, we do,” Rob Thomson said of his message to the bullpen. “Just don’t try to do too much. Throw strikes, just be yourselves and we’ll get it done.”
Thomson understands that losing Alvarado from the bullpen is a significant blow, especially since he had been one of their top arms this MLB season—a fact even Bryce Harper conceded and that surprised teammate Matt Strahm.
Phillies Bullpen Remains Resilient
With Alvarado sidelined, the Phillies’ bullpen relies on key players like Tanner Banks, Matt Strahm, and Carlos Hernandez, who have collectively thrown over 85 pitches in the team’s last three games. Overall, the bullpen has recorded 15 saves this year, boasting a 65% success rate, ranking them sixth best in that category.
José Alvarado #46 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates the third out with bases loaded in the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park on April 29, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
While Alvarado was a premier asset, the recent recovery and improved performance of pitchers like Romano, who is currently on a five-game winning streak, suggest that the Venezuelan reliever’s absence might not be as detrimental as initially feared.
Tenth Best ERA
Thomson acknowledges that the Phillies’ bullpen doesn’t boast the league’s best ERA, but their 4.48 ERA places them 10th overall and sixth in the National League. Despite these challenges, the team continues to lead the NL with a 29-18 record over the Mets.
