Phillies: Jose Alvarado suspended 3 games for Mets scuffle

It was only a matter of time for Major League Baseball to discipline Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets players involved in Friday night’s scuffle — when the benches cleared after Jose Alvarado struck out Dominic Smith to end the eighth inning and preserve the 2-1 Phillies lead.

MLB has suspended Phillies southpaw reliever Jose Alvarado.

Sunday afternoon, the league suspended Alvarado three games and handed him an undisclosed fine for inciting the benches-clearing incident. Mets players Dominic Smith and Miguel Castro, meanwhile, were only handed undisclosed fines.

After Friday’s game, Smith called out Alvarado to reporters, saying the Phillies southpaw could “meet him in the tunnel” to iron out their disagreement.

Through nine appearances and eight innings this season, Alvarado has surrendered just five hits, one run, and three walks, while striking out 13 of his 37 batters faced — en route to a 1.13 ERA and even 1.000 WHIP ratio.

Phillies manager Joe Girardi expressed disappointment to reporters prior to Sunday’s game, after learning of the suspension. He said that the team cannot afford to lose players. “[MLB] felt [Alvarado] instigated, but that doesn’t cause everyone to run out of the dugout,” Girardi added. “That is what it is. We are going to have to deal with it and do the best we can.”

Alvarado is appealing his suspension, so he will remain available for Girardi in Sunday’s three-game series finale at Citizens Bank Park. It is likely the suspension will not be overturned, and the Phillies will unfortunately lose one of their best bullpen arms for a few games at some point in the near future.

After Sunday’s game, the Phils will host the Milwaukee Brewers for four games, before embarking on a nine-game road trip opposite the Atlanta Braves, Washington Nationals, and Toronto Blue Jays (in Dunedin, Florida). Ideally, the Phillies would like to have Alvarado back in time to face reigning National League MVP Freddie Freeman.