Wednesday, August 06

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- It’s always fun in the spring to learn about the new things pitchers are working on. 

It might be a new pitch, like Zack Wheeler’s sweeper in 2023 and splitter in '24. It might be fine-tuning a pitch, like Cristopher Sánchez’s slider this spring. It might be re-introducing an abandoned one, like José Alvarado’s curveball. 

Here are a few that have jumped out in Clearwater: 

José Alvarado 

Not only did Alvarado’s fastball touch 100.7 mph in his Grapefruit League debut on Thursday, but he threw two curveballs. 

He threw three last year. He threw none in 2023. 

“Why more curveballs?” Alvarado said Sunday, laughing. “I want the hitter to think, ‘OK, Alvy’s coming into the game.’ I don’t want him to think, 'He's only got the sinker and cutter.' Now, I’ve got a four-seam and a curveball. I worked on the curveball every day in the offseason. All my pitches together, I just need to keep them in the strike zone. I think I can throw it for strikes.”

Alvarado came to camp in better shape, looking noticeably slimmer. He said he not only worked hard in the winter but also improved his diet. 

“You know Latin people,” he said, smiling. “Rice, beans. I switched out carbohydrates for protein. A lot of meat, veggies. Good protein, like avocados.” 

Alvarado sounds like somebody on a mission, entering the final season of a three-year, $22 million contract. The Phillies have a $9 million club option for 2026 that includes a $500,000 buyout. A good season would make that decision a no-brainer. Alvarado went 2-5 with a 4.09 ERA in 66 appearances last season. He struck out 63 and walked 28 in 61 2/3 innings. It was his lowest strikeout rate (24.4 percent) since his rookie season in '17 (23.6 percent). It was his slowest average sinker (97.8 mph) since '20 (96.9 mph).  

“I don’t really want to talk about last year,” Alvarado said. “Last year is over. It’s a new year. That’s it.” 

The early results are encouraging. 

“That’s what happens when you’re working hard,” he said. “Every time I have the ball, I want to see that result.” 

Jesús Luzardo 

Luzardo impressed in Friday’s debut. His fastball touched 97.7 mph, but he also introduced a new slider. He calls his regular slider a gyro-slider. His new one has more horizontal break. It’s sweeper-ish. 

He threw three old-school sliders on Friday. He threw two sweepers.  

Here is how they compared: 

• Gyro-slider: They averaged 2.1 inches of glove-side movement. They averaged 0.0 inches of glove-side movement last season. He didn’t throw one last season with more than 4.0 inches of glove-side movement.
• Sweeper: The two averaged 5.6 inches of glove-side movement, with the max at 6.7 inches. 

Luzardo said the sweeper remains a work in progress, but it’s a big difference. 

“It’s something he can mix in to righties, maybe for a backdoor strike,” Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto said. “I think it can be a real weapon against lefties because it’s a little bigger, maybe a little more swing-and-miss to those guys with two strikes. It’s a really solid pitch.” 

Cristopher Sánchez 

Sánchez is trying to make his slider more consistent. It would have different shapes with different results last year. Still, he threw the pitch 16.9 percent of the time, and opponents batted only .219 with a .368 slugging percentage against it.  

He threw a few good ones last week.

“I threw it a little more like a curveball before,” Sánchez said through an interpreter. “It had a little more vertical break, and now it's a little more horizontal. I think it can help me. My sinker going in, and I think that's a good combo with my changeup as well. That breaks a little and goes away on left-handed hitters. That way I can go in on hitters as well with the slider.” 

Which Phillies left-handed starter has thrown the hardest fastball since velocities have been recorded in 2008? 

A. Cole Hamels 

B. Cliff Lee 

C. Ranger Suárez  

D. Cristopher Sánchez 

Non-roster invitee Koyo Aoyagi struggled in his debut last week. The right-handed sidearmer allowed two hits, one run and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. He struck out two. 

“It wasn’t great,” Aoyagi said through an interpreter. “My command wasn’t there.” 

Phillies manager Rob Thomson and Realmuto said they thought Aoyagi might have been nervous pitching in the United States for the first time. Aoyagi agreed. 

“Of course,” he said. 

Aoyagi is expected to begin the season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, but the Phils hope he settles into his surroundings and eventually pushes for a promotion. He would be the first Japanese-born player signed by the Phillies to play for them in their history. 

“It’s tough on righties to pick up the ball,” Realmuto said about the challenges of facing Aoyagi. “You almost have to train your eyes to look in a different spot than you’re used to looking for the ball to come, which is tough to do. He also mixes up his timing. He has one delivery that’s really slow to the plate, and then with runners on he’s very fast to the plate. So it’s hard to time both of those up.” 

The Phillies do not play on Monday, but they return to action on Tuesday against the Yankees at BayCare Ballpark. They will get a double dip of two Phillies starters: Wheeler will start, followed by an appearance by Ranger Suárez.

Go here for ticket information.

• The Phillies are trying to find a way to build their best bench. It’s why Edmundo Sosa played left field and center field last week.  

• Kyle Schwarber is trying to show his versatility this spring. It had him playing first base last week.  

• Johan Rojas continues to DH as he recovers from an injured right shoulder. He should begin his throwing program soon. Thomson said he expects to see Rojas begin bunting more for hits in upcoming games. Keep an eye on it. 

D. Cristopher Sánchez

He threw a 98.3 mph fastball on May 18, 2024. Hamels topped out at 97.4 mph. Lee touched 96.5 mph. Suárez touched 96.1 mph. 

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