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The Phillies are bringing back a familiar late-inning arm.

Philadelphia exercised José Alvarado’s $9 million team option on Wednesday, committing to the left-hander for 2026 after a season with highs and lows.

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When on the mound, Alvarado remains one of baseball’s tougher lefties. Before his mid-season 80-game suspension for violating MLB’s performance-enhancing drug policy, he posted a 2.70 ERA over his first 20 appearances, striking out 32 batters in 26 innings. His sinker still ranked in the 99th percentile in velocity.

But the back half of the year told a different story. Upon his return in late August, Alvarado posted a 7.50 ERA and then landed on the injured list with a forear

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