2025 was not a good year for Jose Alvarado. He got suspended for using PEDs, and now he is back. Alvarado is not just pitching to remove the stain from his name and for his future. He is pitching for something that goes well beyond his career.

Alvarado’s 2025 season collapsed when MLB announced an 80-game suspension for testosterone. Phillies president Dave Dombrowski said the failed test came from an offseason weight loss supplement. Dombrowski later added, “It’s not something he did knowingly,” after meeting the reliever about suspension. The penalty immediately removed Philadelphia’s closer despite a 2.70 ERA and seven saves in May.

However, all of that became secondary as months later, a deeper crisis emerged when his 10-year-old son Dylan fell ill. Doctors first suspected dengue fever. But tests confirmed leukemia after symptoms worsened during hospital visits.

Dylan weighed about 105 pounds before treatment, but after that, he lost nearly 35 pounds. Jose Alvarado later said, “When I saw my son smiling, that was a big relief… It’s been something miraculous, him fighting strong, a miracle for me.”

During his suspension, Alvarado also lost $4.5M, exactly half of his $9m salary. League rules also barred postseason play, removing Philadelphia’s hardest-throwing lefty from October plans entirely.

After returning from suspension in August, Jose Alvarado struggled badly with his next eight appearances. Those outings produced a 7.50 ERA, a mark far from his earlier 2.70 that season.

“It’s too bad, but we’ve got to move on,” said Manager Rob Thomson. Philadelphia later encouraged him to return home when Dylan’s condition worsened during September hospitalizations.

The lefty carries Dylan’s name tattooed on his wrist while chasing redemption in 2026. “I do this for my family, especially my children,” he explained during spring interviews.

His fastball still averages 98.3 mph in spring training. This has kept him among the hardest-throwing lefties. What the Phillies will do with him in 2026 will play a big role in his future in MLB.

Phillies manager gives a two-word update on Jose Alvarado

The Philadelphia Phillies retained their core, including Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Aaron Nola, and Zack Wheeler. Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto also returned on new deals, keeping the heart of their roster intact.

Smaller changes include adding Adolis García while moving on from veteran outfielder Nick Castellanos this offseason. Yet concern rose when Jose Alvarado missed Venezuela’s WBC roster after failing the event’s insurance approval. However, Rob Thomson was quick to silence the panic.

“He’s fine,” he said. “I don’t know what goes into the insurance thing, but he’s fine with us.”

That reassurance was important because before his suspension, Alvarado posted a 2.70 ERA with 25 strikeouts across 20 innings. So far, his production this spring seems to show that he is back to his best. He has racked up seven strikeouts over five scoreless innings.