The Phillies swapped Luis Garcia for Jose Alvarez in a trade that came out of the blue.
Luis Garcia spent a rollercoaster 6 seasons in Philadelphia. He was wildly inconsistent from year to year. For example, in 2017 Garcia had a 2.65 ERA in 71.1 IP for the Phillies. He followed that up with a 6.07 ERA in 2018.
For Garcia, the Phillies received a much-needed lefty in Jose Alvarez. Alvarez had a 3.35 ERA with the Angels over 5 years and had his best season in 2018, posting a 2.71 ERA in 63 IP. His repertoire features a 4-seam fastball that’ll reach up to 94.5 MPH and sit at 91.9 MPH. He compliments that with a sinker that averages about the same at 91.4 MPH. He has a 3rd fastball in a cutter, but rarely uses it. His offspeed pitches include a changeup and a slider. The Slider is his preferred offspeed offering.
With recently acquired lefty James Pazos having worse numbers against lefties than righties (.280 BAA vs .228 BAA), Alvarez is a great get for the Phillies. In 2018, he had a .206 BAA against lefties.
Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
