The Philadelphia Phillies announced on Monday that left-handed pitcher Jose Alvarado has been placed on the restricted list as he steps away from the team to address a personal matter.
According to The Athletic, Alvarado was at the ballpark earlier in the day and had a meeting with team officials before departing.
To fill the vacancy on the 26-man roster, the Phillies called up right-hander Michael Mercado from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Alvarado, 29, is in his fourth season with the Phillies after spending four years with the Tampa Bay Rays (2017-20). This season, he has made 56 appearances, posting a 1-5 record, a career-high 13 saves, and a 4.30 ERA. Over 52 1/3 innings, Alvarado has struck out 52 batters while issuing 25 walks.
In his eight-year MLB career spanning 370 games (one start), Alvarado holds a 14-25 record with 45 saves, a 3.46 ERA, and 426 strikeouts.
Mercado, 25, debuted in the majors in June, appearing in four games for the Phillies, including two starts, before being optioned back to Triple-A. He went 1-2 with a 9.26 ERA over 11 2/3 innings for Philadelphia. In Lehigh Valley, Mercado posted a 2-1 record and a 1.96 ERA across 24 games (10 starts).
