JoseAlvarado

News: 6 days agoAlvarado is one of several Rays players with plenty to prove in 2020, Josh Tolentino of The Athletic reports.

Spin: The hard-throwing left-hander had a largely forgettable 2019 campaign that included a multi-week absence to tend to his ailing mother in Venezuela. The bulk of Alvarado's struggles came during the latter part of the season, as he posted a 9.95 ERA over his last 17 appearances. Alvarado did enter spring with a much clearer mind because he was able to move his parents to the United States during the offseason, and he certainly has the tools for a resurgence in the form of a 98 mph fastball, along with a cutter, sinker and curveball. However, it's worth noting the 25-year-old also endured a rocky Grapefruit League stint before play was paused, as he posted an 8.31 ERA and walked four batters over 4.1 innings across five appearances. He projects to primarily return to a setup role in an abbreviated 2020 season.