Late Wednesday, the Phillies announced that they exercised the $9 million option on closer José Alvarado, the same left-hander who missed 80 games this past season after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.
When he did return, he was a shell of the 100+ mph rocket arm that shut down batters to the tune of 52 saves over the course of a nine-year career in the majors, five with the Phillies.
In September, when Alvarado was shut down with a forearm strain, there was a question as to whether the club would choose to buy him out of his contract for $500,000 or approve his option deal. With Jhoan Duran cooking, it would not have been out of the realm to assume the Phillies would do the former. Even manager Rob Thomson inferred as much in September when he suggested that it was worth being “something to talk about.”
But Alvarado, 30, is back along with a new-look bullpen. Where he fits into all of it sure makes counting down the days until pitchers and catchers report worth doing.
Until then, have you checked out the latest Inquirer Phillies Extra with Scott Lauber? His latest guest is Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long.
Enjoy today, one that’s slated to be in the mid-50s under sunny skies.
— Kerith Gabriel, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
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When the Birds visit the Packers, they’ll be looking for their third win in a row and what would be their NFC-leading seventh win of the season.
But those are just a fraction of the critical numbers that are slated to go into this Monday night matchup (8:15 p.m., 6ABC, ESPN). Inquirer writer Jeff Neiburg took a look at a few more and offered this data-driven preview ahead of Monday night.
And what did the Kelce brothers do on the latest version of their New Heights podcast? Analyze the Birds at the trade deadline, of course.
What we’re ...
👏🏾 Applauding: The former Inquirer writer who is among the inductees of the 2025 Big 5 Hall of Fame class.
⚽ Sharing: Meet the pair of Union players named to Major League Soccer’s Team of the Year.
🏈 Following: The PIAA district playoffs in high school football are in full swing. See which area teams are looking to make a postseason run.
📺 Watching: World champion boxer Jaron “Boots” Ennis and the spot he thinks makes the best cheesesteak in Philly.
Jared McCain has spent so much time away from the court that he nearly forgot his pregame routine. He had to look in his phone for a refresher on his routine, which includes journaling, a longer nap, and his shooting time. McCain also had a couple of keepsakes to help set the tone for his return to the court. One was a green crystal, which is often associated with growth and abundance. The other was a “Positive Potato” emotional support knit figurine featuring this message: “I may be a tiny potato, but I believe in you. Go do your thing!”
McCain checked in for the first time to the tune of cheers from Sixers fans in the United Center crowd and claps from teammates who stood to their feed as he walked to the scorer’s table. He didn’t have the numbers he’d like — no points on 0-for-4 shooting, two assists, and one rebound in 15 minutes — but McCain was just grateful to be on the court. “It’s a lot of emotion,” McCain said after the game. “ … I’m just glad to be out there. I can’t believe it’s been almost a year since I played basketball.”
As of Wednesday morning, the Flyers occupied the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference both in terms of points and point percentage. The biggest reason? Trevor Zegras’ resurgence.
Acquired in the offseason for Ryan Poehling and two draft picks, Zegras looks to be a coup by GM Danny Brière. The flashy forward leads the Flyers with 15 points in 13 games (four goals, 11 assists) and looks to be in the midst of a star turn.
Tuesday provided the latest example of Zegras’ potential, as he assisted on two goals, including one via a behind-the-back pass, and also scored the winning goal in a shootout in a 5-4 triumph in Montreal.
After spending nearly half his life with one organization, Ranger Suárez seemed to realize when the Phillies’ season ended in the NLDS that change is coming like an unstoppable freight train.
It isn’t that the Phillies want to move on from Suárez. But rival teams will probably pay him more handsomely at a time in his career when he’s best positioned to cash in.
It will be a life-changing experience for Suárez. He was 16 when the Phillies signed him out of Venezuela for $25,000. He’s 30 now and poised to be flattered with nine-figure overtures.
Let’s explore how the market will shape up for Suárez.
On this date
Nov. 6, 1869: The first college football game was played between Rutgers and the College of New Jersey, which later became Princeton. Must’ve been a real barn burner, considering the final score was 6-4.
Standings, stats, and more
Want the complete breakdown of last night’s Sixers game? Here’s a place to access that and your favorite Philadelphia teams’ statistics, schedules, and standings in real time.
What you’re saying about Howie Roseman
We asked: What are your thoughts on the moves Roseman made before the NFL trade deadline?
One thing I like about Howie is that when he brings in a newbie who isn’t a baller, he’s not afraid to say ‘See ya later!’ Just opposite from the guy across the street. When Dombrowski makes a move and the guy is a stiff, he’ll keep him around all season. Dave has to learn to leave his EGO at the door! — Ronald R.
I will skip the details of Howie’s moves and just say that I trust in Howie. Did not like him at first and thought he really did not know what he was doing. Howie turned me and all other skeptics into believers. The first Super Bowl was played in January 1967, but the Eagles never won one until 51 years later when Howie’s 2017 team won the 2018 matchup with the Patriots. Since then, his team has gone to two more Super Bowls, narrowly losing one and emphatically winning the next. — Everett S.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Scott Lauber, Gabriela Carroll, Katie Lewis, Jeff Neiburg, Vaughn Johnson, Jackie Spiegel, Jonathan Tannenwald, Gina Mizell, Isabella DiAmore, Samantha Stewart, and Mike Sielski.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
Shout-out to Philly soccer wunderkind Cavan Sullivan for scoring the first goal for the U.S. in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup. Speaking of soccer, I hear there’s more good news for the Union coming down the pike today. More at 11... — Kerith