Elvis

Alvarado

After coming into a 1-0 game, Alvarado gave up homers to Rafael Devers and Victor Bericoto in the ninth. It’s his first blown save and third loss. The other biggest threat for saves in the A’s pen, Hogan Harris, worked a scoreless seventh tonight, so he’s looking a little better at the moment. Still, no A’s reliever seems particularly trustworthy in shallow leagues.

After the Angels tied the game with a three-run home run in the eighth, Alvarado was called on with one on and two out in the eighth inning and got a strikeout to end the inning. He got a fly out to start the ninth inning, but then a single and a two-run home run by Zach Neto put the Angels up for good. These are just the second and third earned runs Alvarado has allowed in 10 innings in June. He remains the favorite for saves with the Athletics.

Alvarado struck out Kyle Karros and Brett Sullivan before getting Sterlin Thompson to ground out to end the game. He’s earned both of his saves in the eight days since the A’s recalled him from Triple-A. He should remain in the mix going forward, but Hogan Harris, who notched a save Friday, still seems like the best bet in the A’s pen for now.

Alvarado retired Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang to become the eighth A’s reliever to earn a save this season. He’s pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts since being recalled from Las Vegas five days ago. Alvarado made the A’s out of spring training, only to be sent down with an 8.78 ERA after 10 appearances. Consider him part of the saves mix now, but if we were going to roster an A’s reliever, Hogan Harris is still the one we’d choose.

Alvarado, 27, has been knocked around in 10 appearances with the Athletics this season, posting a cringe-inducing 8.38 ERA, 1.86 WHIP and a 9/7 K/BB ratio over 9 2/3 innings. He’ll function in a middle relief role for manager Mark Kotsay and can be ignored for fantasy purposes.

The bullpen shuffle continues in West Sacramento with Elvis leaving the building after being torched for four runs over two innings by the White Sox on Friday night. The 27-year-old served up a gargantuan 431-foot grand slam to White Sox rookie slugger Munetaka Murakai that left his bat like a rocket taking off.

Alvarado caught a break when David Hamilton was thrown out stealing after a leadoff single in the ninth. Hamilton was ruled out on the field, and though the replays suggested he got his hand in there, New York upheld the call. Alvarado then walked a batter and gave up an RBI double to Rob Refnsyder to blow the lead. Hogan Harris replaced him at that point and got the win after the A’s scored in the bottom of the ninth. The A’s don’t currently have a reliever worth rostering in mixed leagues.

Alvarado entered with the A’s down 2-1 in the eighth and then remained in after they took a 3-2 lead in the ninth. He walked two. One of those was technically intentional, but it came after a 2-0 count to Ryan Noda. Alvarado, a 26-year-old rookie, was making his 19th appearance for the A’s. and he’s now sporting a 3.04 ERA and a 29/13 K/BB in 23 2/3 innings. He’s about as likely as anyone else to be the team’s closer on any given day, but we wouldn’t go picking him up just yet.

Alvarado is up to replace T.J. McFarland after McFarland was booted off the roster by the A’s. The right-hander provides middle-inning depth while with the club in this stint.

Alvarado is back in the minors with Michael Kelly activated off the suspension list. The right-hander will likely be back as a low-leverage option at some point this summer.