Andrew Alvarez blanks Cardinals in no-decision

In the type of choppy, sloppy game you’d expect from two teams battling for fourth place in late September, Alvarez’s misshapen final line matched the mood. To look at the positives, he missed plenty of bats. His 14 swings-and-misses were just one off his season-high and he forced at least two with all five of his pitches. However, the reason his repertoire widened out a bit more than usual was because his trusted curveball was less effective than usual. The Mets weren’t often fooled by it and when Alvarez tried to spot it in the zone, he struggled to do so. Also, his outing ended with back-to-back home runs by Bo Bichette and Carson Benge. The wind was blowing in heavily at Nationals Park too. If not, Alvarez could have let up more long balls. Yet, his transition to the rotation has been a resounding success through the second half as his season concluded with a 3.35 ERA, 86 strikeouts, and 41 walks in 86 innings as a starting pitcher.

Alvarez was outstanding on Saturday, holding the Angels scoreless over seven impressive innings. He allowed just one hit and scattered four walks while collecting eight strikeouts. The bullpen would go on to blow the lead, costing Alvarez the win. The 27-year-old left-hander will look to keep it going when he takes a 3.35 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and a 99/47 K/BB ratio across 102 innings into a start against the Cardinals in St. Louis on Friday.

Alvarez allowed one run through four before giving up a leadoff single and an RBI double with one out in the fifth. That was enough to get him pulled, and Brad Lord came in and allowed the inherited runner to score. Alvarez did yield three runs or fewer for a seventh straight start, but with the early exits, he hasn’t won any of those. He’ll take on the Angels next weekend.

The left-hander struck out six batters in the ballgame and didn’t allow an extra-base hit. He exited with a 1-0 lead and in line for a victory, but the Nationals’ bullpen was unable to hang on for him. Alvarez generated seven swings and misses on 97 offerings, posting a CSW of 27 percent. He’ll look to replicate this fine effort as he brings a solid 3.47 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and an 86/41 K/BB ratio (90 2/3 innings) into a tough matchup against the Dodgers in Los Angeles on Saturday.

Alvarez struck out six, but it was still a weak effort against a Rockies team that historically struggles mightily in its first game or two after a homestand. Alvarez dropped to 2-6 with a 3.72 ERA. He’s in line to face the Marlins next.

The 27-year-old southpaw struck out five batters on the evening while issuing three walks. The lone tally against him came on a solo blast off the bat of Corey Seager in the third inning that went just over the outstretched glove of leaping outfielder Andrew Pinckney. Alvarez got eight whiffs on 75 pitches on the night, registering a CSW of 28 percent. He now boasts a respectable 3.60 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and a 74/36 K/BB ratio over 80 innings on the season. He’ll square off against the Rockies his next time out at home on Tuesday.

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.