Categories: 2020 Offseason

Will José Álvarez return as a Phillie in 2021?

Jose Alvarez has been one of the Phillies only reliable relievers since 2019. (Photo by David John Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

As part of a bullpen that was plagued by injuries and poor performance for the last two seasons, José Álvarez was a bright spot for the Phillies.

Ultimately, Álvarez’s 2020 season was cut short when, during a late August doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays, he took a line drive off the groin that left him sidelined for the remainder of the season.

Prior to that, he was one of only a couple reliable relievers available on the roster. In 2019, Álvarez pitched to the tune of a 3.36 ERA over 67 games. He allowed just one earned run in 6 1/3 innings to start 2020 prior to the injury.

The Phillies acquired Álvarez prior to the 2019 season in a trade that sent reliever Luis García to the Los Angeles Angels. It was considered one of the better moves of Matt Klentak”s tenure as the Phillies general manager considering the low price tag and relatively high success Álvarez had in Philadelphia.

Now, Álvarez will head to free agency. The Phillies are in dire need of help from the bullpen, as evidenced by their 7.06 ERA in 2020 that stands as one of the highest such figures in the history of the sport.

The Phillies have a lot to consider this offseason. They have the issue of J.T. Realmuto and Didi Gregorius both potentially leaving in free agency, which would create two gaping holes in the lineup. They also need to fix the bullpen, and while Álvarez may not be a priority for them, bringing him back would be a good start.