Phils Place Alvarado on 15-Day IL, Bellatti Reinstated

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA - The Phillies placed star lefty reliever Jose Alvarado on the 15-Day Injured List (retroactive to May 8th) with left elbow inflammation and reinstated right-hander Andrew Bellatti (right tricep tendinitis), the team announced Wednesday morning.

After his remarkable turnaround during the 2022 season, Alvarado continued his dominance into the ‘23 campaign. In 14 appearances the Phils closer struck out 24 batters batters, allowing just three runs with a 1.88 ERA and 0.70 WHIP. He also set the record for consecutive appearances with multiple strikeouts, K’ing 14 batters between September 13th, 2022, and April 18th, 2023.

Bellatti, recorded a 6.23 ERA with a 1.96 WHIP in only 10 games before being lifted to the IL. The righty obviously struggled in the early going but that does not waiver hopes of a return to his previous form during the 2022 campaign, where he pitched to a 3.31 ERA becoming a staple of a Phillies bullpen that became one of the best in Baseball.

Manager Rob Thomson says he expects Alvarado back in “about a week or two”, customary for the inflammation the Phils southpaw is dealing with. The Phils skipper also added that Alvarado did not originally go to the Phillies trainers about his elbow, but instead his wrist; MRIs revealed no damage to his wrist but instead minimal inflammation in the left elbow.

For the time being, the Phils will look ahead to Friday night when they will face off with the Colorado Rockies beginning a six-game west coast swing. You can catch Friday’s 8:40 start on NBC Sports Philadelphia and listen on 94 WIP.