Philadelphia Phillies pitcher José Alvarado has publicly expressed his remorse for his violation of Major League Baseball's performance-enhancing drug policy. With just two weeks remaining on his 80-game suspension, Alvarado acknowledged his mistake in a statement to reporters, offering his 'deepest apologies' to the organization, the fans, and the city of Philadelphia.

Alvarado's suspension, which was announced on May 18, came as a result of a positive test for exogenous testosterone. According to league regulations, a player serving a suspension for performance-enhancing drugs during the regular season is ineligible to participate in the postseason if their team qualifies. As of Tuesday, Alvarado was permitted to begin a rehab assignment, paving the way for his potential activation on August 19, though he remains ineligible to play in games at this point.

Prior to the suspension, the 30-year-old left-hander was enjoying a notable start to the season with a 2.70 ERA, 25 strikeouts, and seven saves across 20 appearances. In his absence, the Phillies adopted a closer-by-committee strategy, resulting in eight different players recording at least one save in the first four months of the season, which included a transition from Jordan Romano to Matt Strahm for closing duties. The stability of the bullpen was further bolstered by the recent acquisition of Jhoan Durán from the Minnesota Twins on July 30. Durán's addition has allowed manager Rob Thomson to utilize his relievers more flexibly as the team navigates its final two months of the regular season. As Alvarado prepares to rejoin the roster, he will enhance a bullpen eager to maintain a slim lead over the New York Mets in the National League East, where the Phillies currently hold a 1.5-game advantage. The two teams are set for seven remaining matchups in the regular season, commencing with a three-game series at Citi Field from August 25-27.