Happy Birthday Henderson Álvarez

Former Blue Jays pitcher Henderson Alvarez turns 30 today.

Henderson was number 5 on our 2010 top 40 prospect list and then dropped to 11th in 2011. We wrote this about him in 2011:

11. Henderson Alvarez (Number 5 on last year’s list): A year ago, Alex Anthopoulos was calling him the our best pitching prospect and then he went out and added a bunch of guys that jumped the queue on him. He started off his first look at Dunedin great but slowed as the season wore on. He missed a bit of time with a tired arm and finished the season with a couple of appearances out of the pen. He ended up 8-7, 4.33 in 112.1 innings. After only giving up one homer last year in Lansing, he gave up 10 in 2010. His walk rate went up a little too, from an great 1.4 walks per 9 to a still very good 2.2. He doesn’t strike out a lot of people, and it is a bit worrying that his rate dropped a bit from 6.7 to 6.2 per 9. I’d pretty much write off the slightly poorer numbers to the arm soreness and getting up to High-A at age 20. I’d think he’d start next year in Dunedin again, but at some point he ought to move up to New Hampshire.

He did start off 2011 in Dunedin, then moved up to New Hampshire and then moved up to Toronto. He made his first start on August 10th. He pitched 5.2 innings in a 8-4 win over the A’s. He would stay in the rotation for the rest of the season, finishing 1-3 with a 3.53 ERA in 10 starts.

He spent all of 2012 in the Jays rotation. He had a 4.85 ERA in 31 starts and a 9-14 record. He didn’t strikeout many, just 3.8 per nine innings. It is pretty tough to be successful Batters hit .290/.339/.473 with 29 home home runs against.

After the season he was part of the big trade with the Marlins. He missed the first half of the 2013 season with a shoulder issue. He ended up making 17 starts with a 3.53 ERA. 2014 was his last full season in the majors, making 30 starts, putting up a 2.65 ERA and making the NL All-Star team.

That was the end of the good times. He had a shoulder problem in 2015, which limited him to 3 starts. Since then he’s bounced from team to team. He made 3 starts for the Phillies in 2017, but that’s been it. I think he pitched in the Mexican League last year.

Career he has a 27-35 record and a 3.82 ERA in 95 starts.

Happy birthday Henderson (I don’t think I’ve ever met someone with the first name Henderson, he must have a nickname that friends use). I hope it is a good one.