What's great is a sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates to go to 29-18 and pull within a half game of first place in the NL East. What's not great is finding out that the Philadelphia Phillies' best bullpen arm will be serving an 80-game suspension after a positive PED test for exogenous testosterone, per MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. José Alvarado accepted the suspension and it will make him ineligible for possible postseason play in 2025.
To say it was unexpected would be a massive understatement. Especially when the positive test came after Alvarado was allegedly taking it to lose weight. Understandably, fans were furious at Alvarado after the news broke Sunday morning and they didn't hold back they're immediate thoughts on the situation.
José Alvarado blasted on social media after news broke of his 80-game suspension
One X user, nicole (@nic_remy202), left no stone unturned of how much this takes away from their championship hopes.
If you defend Jose Alvarado you’re sick in the head. He’s selfish and maybe cost this team a championship. Idc if he thought he was taking ozempic or whatever his excuse was. He’s a professional athlete and should know everything he puts in his body. Sickens me
— nicole (@nic_remy2021) May 18, 2025
Professional athletes do have the best resources when it comes to preventing these circumstances so the feeling of blame can spread like wildfire in an instant. Phillies fans also surely don't care what the reasoning was for taking the drug and at the end of the day he did make a detrimental decision.
Another X user on Sunday, Pete Braidis (@PeteBraidis), isn't here for any excuses either as he references Alvarado as a clown and has no hard feelings about let him walk after this year. He commented on Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer's X post.
What a clown. I’m sure it was an “accident.”
— Pete Braidis (@PeteBraidis) May 18, 2025
This hurts the team in so many ways and is a ridiculously selfish act.
I’d waive him after the suspension ends.
Alvarado does have a $9 million club option for 2026, but the way fans are feeling now, it definitely isn't a given that he'll be back after the storm he's caused.
97.5 the Fanatic's John Kincade (@JohnKincade) broke it down on his X account of how improbable it really is for the apparent accident to take place with MLB battling PEDs for decades.
Every pro athlete in every sport is educated on running any supplements or prescriptions past team officials BEFORE ever taking them. This has been protocol for decades. There are no logical excuses to offer for Jose Alvarado. This isn’t a “mistake”. It’s utter negligence.
— John Kincade (@JohnKincade) May 18, 2025
If Phillies fans weren't familiar with how extensive the drug policing is in professional sports, they're getting a taste of that now with the protocols that have been in place. Alvarado hasn't spoken directly, but all fans can hear now is the excuse of why he tested positive.
Even Phillies' color analyst John Kruk had some choice words of his own about Alvarado's decision.
“If I was a teammate of José Alvarado," Kruk said during Sunday’s broadcast. "I would consider it a very selfish move on his part. If I’m a player on this team right now, I don’t think I’d be real happy with him.”
Phillies analyst John Kruk on @NBCSPhilly says “if I was a teammate of Jose Alvarado, I would consider it a very selfish move on his part. If I’m a player on this team right now, I don’t think I’d be real happy with him”
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) May 19, 2025
John on Jose Alvarado being suspended pic.twitter.com/Aa4LSvw1v4
The Phillies not only lost him for 80 games, but the fanbase lost trust in Alvarado when he does return in August. The Phillies look at 2025 as being their year to clinch a World Series title and it's in more jeopardy than before. Many fans feel the same as Kruk, but with how much people love Alvarado, it's difficult to know where the endgame will be. The pitching staff has to take the brunt of it and now others will be forced to step up, per Zolecki.
Phillies fans are enraged and it hurts right now and as far as the timeline for the enragement of the fanbase dying down anytime soon, only time will tell.