Phillies’ Jose Alvarado Hit with 80-Game Suspension After Drug Test Flunks

May 18, 2025 • Drug Test Digest

Just when the Phillies bullpen was gaining momentum, Major League Baseball threw them a major curveball — and it wasn’t coming from the mound.

Jose Alvarado, Philadelphia’s hard-throwing closer, has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for exogenous testosterone, a banned performance-enhancing substance. The announcement, made Sunday by MLB, marks a major blow for the team’s playoff hopes and raises fresh questions about PED enforcement in pro sports.

Alvarado had been nearly untouchable this season, notching a 2.70 ERA and a perfect seven saves in seven opportunities. His dominance on the mound had even outshined high-profile free agent Jordan Romano, who struggled with a 7.71 ERA across six save chances. Now, with Alvarado benched, the Phillies must recalibrate their late-game strategy — and fast.

The league confirmed that Alvarado’s positive test was for exogenous testosterone, a synthetic form of the hormone used to enhance performance and accelerate recovery. Under MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, a first-time offense for this substance results in an automatic 80-game suspension.

In practical terms, that means Alvarado is out until the final 37 games of the season — and he won’t be eligible for the postseason at all. That’s a brutal hit for a team trying to stay hot in a crowded National League race.

It also underscores the strict drug testing protocols enforced by the MLB, where the margins are razor-thin and even one slip-up can derail a player’s career trajectory. Alvarado joins a long list of athletes sidelined by positive PED tests — and his absence will echo far beyond the bullpen.

For now, all eyes turn to Romano and the rest of the Phillies’ relievers to pick up the slack — and for Alvarado, the road back to redemption just got a lot longer.

Read the original story on USA Today