This Flamethrower Might Be A’s Next Star Bullpen Arm

Enter Elvis Alvarado. The right-hander was acquired as a waiver claim back in January of 2025. That same 2025 season, he would make his MLB Debut with the A's and became an important piece of the A's bullpen. He posted a 3.19 ERA in 42.1 innings last season and posted an 8.38 ERA before being demoted to Triple-A this season.

The 2026 season started extra early for Alvarado when he was a bullpen arm for Team Dominican Republic in this year's World Baseball Classic.

A Dive into Alvarado’s Success in Triple-A

During Elvis Alvarado's stint in the big leagues at the beginning of the season, he obviously wasn't too hot as the right-hander posted an ERA of 8.38 before his eventual demotion. However, there were a few bright spots in his big league stint this year.

The 6-foot 6-inch hurler sat at an average of 98.1 mph, which is actually in the 94th percentile of MLB pitchers. He also paired that with an elite 34.8% whiff rate. However, he struggled to get opposing hitters to chase and to record punchouts.

In Triple-A, Alvarado has been nothing shy of dominant. The Aviators, the A's affiliate, play in a hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. Their home site is Las Vegas Ballpark, which is also notoriously hitter-friendly. This inflates the scores of all the games and also pitchers' ERAs. This has not stopped Alvarado from posting a strong 2.53 ERA in 10.2 innings with the squad.

It's also worth noting that Alvarado is getting looks as the Triple-A closer, a role that could open at the big league level at some point this summer. In just a few appearances, they have clearly shown that they trust Alvarado to collect big outs for their team.

How Elvis Alvarado Fits Into the Current A’s Bullpen Mix

The A’s bullpen has shockingly been solid in the 2026 season. However, the club has no true closer, and that could change if it stays near the top of the AL West standings.

There is a current lack of left-handers in the A's bullpen, with just Hogan Harris and Jose Suarez as the lone two. The remaining arms are all righties like Alvarado, which could make it a little more difficult for him to secure a roster spot.

However, the main spot where Alvarado could fit is as a late-inning reliever. Joel Kuhnel and Jack Perkins have been in that role for the last month or so, and with Perkins struggling, they could use the flamethrower in late innings.

Perhaps the A's will give Alvarado a few more weeks in Triple-A to continue his dominance before ultimately joining the team's bullpen.