Andrew Alvarez pitches well in loss to Rangers

It was a shame Alvarez couldn’t finish off the sixth inning in this game. He breezed through the middle frames retiring 10 consecutive batters before there were two outs in that sixth. Then, Francisco Lindor got him for a game-tying, solo home run on a hanging slider that may as well have been on a tee. Even more frustrating, Alvarez struck out Bo Bichette to follow, but it came on a pitch in the dirt that Keibert Ruiz couldn’t keep close enough and Bichette scampered to first. Alvarez was pulled there and to make matters worse, Daylen Lile then misplayed a blooper in left field and a two-out single by Carson Benge put Alvarez on the hook for the loss. An absolutely brutal chain of events that shouldn’t overshadow a solid start from the young lefty. His next start is scheduled to come on the road against the Rangers.

Alvarez gave up three hits, walked one and struck out two. The 27-year-old left-handed allowed only one run, but it wasn’t a very impressive performance overall as he struck out only two of 20 batters faced. Alvarez has a 3.76 ERA. He’s lined up to face the Mets at home next weekend.

This is the first time all season that Alvarez has completed six innings, and it came in one of his toughest matchups. The left-hander walked three and struck out five while throwing 59 percent of his pitches for strikes and posting a 12 percent swinging strike rate. The command remains an issue for Alvarez, but he should get a long look in the rotation with Foster Griffin now in Cleveland.

Alvarez was brought back to take the ball for Monday’s series opener against the Phillis. The 27-year-old lefty has posted a pedestrian 4.06 ERA across 57 2/3 innings of work this season.

Alvarez was optioned to the minor leagues a week ago, but trades have enabled him to be called back up. The 27-year-old has some intriguing swing-and-miss upside, but he also holds a 4.06 ERA and 1.51 WHIP in 57 2/3 innings this season for the Nationals and can’t be trusted in fantasy leagues right.

Alvarez earns a ticket back to the minors after allowing one run over 4 1/3 innings during a bulk relief appearance against the Blue Jays on Monday. He struck out three and also issued three walks. He holds a pedestrian 4.06 ERA across across 57 2/3 innings of work this season.

Alvarez was given a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, but he coughed that up in the third before being lifted from a tie game in the fifth. He’s given up 11 earned runs in 12 innings over his last three outings, taking his ERA from 3.05 to 4.22. He’ll probably pitch again Sunday against the D-backs, but it could be as a bulk guy.

Alvarez also hit a batter and the Astros went 3-for-3 stealing bases against him, which helps explain how he gave up five runs despite allowing just four singles and no extra-base hits. Alvarez has walked 21 in 47 innings in the majors this year. He’s managed a 3.64 ERA anyway, but he can’t keep putting guys on base like this. Since he won’t be needed to make another start before the break, the Nationals might send him down to the minors to keep him sharp.

Alvarez allowed two hits while pitching behind opener Brad Lord. He had started in each of his past five appearances, but this was his first scoreless outing since moving to the rotation. The left-hander will look to keep it rolling next time out against the Astros.

Alvarez kept the Orioles off the board through the first three innings but found himself in a bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning. With two outs and the bases full, Blaze Alexander singled to drive in two runs to give the Orioles their first runs of the night, but Alvarez would get out of the jam on the next at-bat. It would be the only two runs Alvarez would allow on the day, but he would be pulled with one out in the fifth inning after getting Gunnar Hendrson to ground out in the lefty-on-lefty matchup to start the frame. Alvarez has allowed three earned runs or fewer in every appearance this season but has yet to make it out of the fifth inning. He can be left off the fantasy radar for his next start, which is scheduled for Wednesday against the Red Sox.