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The Philadelphia Phillies' bullpen got a big boost at the Major League Baseball trade deadline. Phillies manager Rob Thomson received a new weapon in Jhoan Duran to put alongside Jordan Romano and Co.. However, the All-Star closer is not the only boost the team could get before the season ends. Jose Alvarado has begun preparing for his return in the middle of August.
Alvarado received a suspension early in the season for violating MLB's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. The reliever has not pitched in a game since the middle of May. While Thomson has been able to survive without him in the bullpen, his return would be a big help. Fortunately for the Phillies, his 80-game suspension is finally nearing its end.
The southpaw can rejoin the team on August 19. In preparation for that, the reliever will come in for a check-in early next week and then go on an assignment in the minor leagues, according to Phillies beat writer Matt Gelb. Thomson and the rest of the coaching staff want to make sure that he is fully recovered before returning to the mound.
When Alvarado received his suspension, he was Thomson's secondary setup man behind Matt Strahm. With the addition of Duran to the mix, he will get knocked down a rung in the ladder. However, his return gives the Phillies another look to throw at opponents. His left-handed pitching is valuable to a pitching staff that needs it.
Duran was impressive in his first outing in Philadelphia. He, Romano, and Strahm will handle most, if not all of the high-leverage situations the Phillies run into. Despite that, Alvarado's return could do wonders for a bullpen that has missed him all season.
Philadelphia has a chance to put some distance between themselves and the New York Mets in the National League East. In order to do that, though, the team needs all of its players on point, including Alvarado. His suspension left a sour taste in fans' mouths, but his return could impact how deep the Phillies can go in the postseason.
