Following the Phillies’ win over the Detroit Tigers Sunday, catcher J.T. Realmuto was asked if he’d ever caught a pitch as hard as new closer Jhoan Duran. After all, Duran had just finished off the Tigers with consecutive fastballs that were clocked at 103 mph.
“I don’t know,” Realmuto said. “If Alvy has thrown it maybe he’s the hardest thrower I’ve caught. I don’t know if Alvy’s touched that or not, if not then no.”
Realmuto was talking about suspended reliever Jose Alvarado, who will be joining the team in the next couple of weeks after serving his 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. It must be quite intriguing when manager Rob Thomson can think about closing out a game with two guys throwing that hard in the last couple of innings.
“It’s been a long 80 days without him,” Thomson said. “Not only is he talented but he brings so much energy to the field and the clubhouse. It’s really good to have him around. He’s certainly going to bring more energy and he’s going to bring another really, really good arm.”
As for the availability of Duran, fans will be happy to hear what the gameplan is.
“He’s available tonight,” Thomson said before the Phillies faced the Baltimore Orioles. “So he hasn’t gone three days in a row, he’s gone four out of five three or four times this year. I’d be very careful with him going three in a row. It all depends on how he feels and he feels good today, so he can go back in there.”
As for using Duran four times in five games, Thomson said: “I’d feel really comfortable if he tells me he feels good. He’s done it a few times now, so he’s used to it, anyway.”
The entrance and performance of Duran in his two outings and saves have been the talk of the town since he was acquired last Thursday. It doesn’t appear to be changing any time soon.
Getting closer
Sunday and Monday seemed to be very big days in the progression of third baseman Alec Bohm as he amped up his hitting and throwing routines.
“Supposed to be a full day,” Thomson said before Monday of Bohm’s workout schedule. “Hit off the machines, will reevaluate tomorrow. Very good. I talked to him after his workout yesterday and he said it was the best day yet. Really good. In fact, he went in, got some treatment and went back down to the cage after I talked to him and did some more hitting, so that’s a good sign.”
Bohm was on the field throwing Monday and even threw an off-balance, one-footed souvenir high into the stands. That doesn’t seem like something someone with sore ribs would do. Thomson has said that his return time is a play-it-by-ear type of thing.