Alvarez begins his first season with the Ducks and 11th season of professional baseball. The right-hander spent five seasons in the Major Leagues, including two years with the Toronto Blue Jays (2011-12) and three with the Miami Marlins (2013-15). In 92 career starts, he compiled a 27-34 record with a 3.80 ERA, five complete games, five shutouts and 296 strikeouts over 563 innings of work. The Venezuela native was selected to represent the National League at the 2014 MLB All-Star Game in Minneapolis. That season, he led the NL with three shutouts and compiled a 12-7 record with a 2.65 ERA, three complete games and 111 strikeouts.

The 27-year-old’s big league career was also highlighted by pitching a no-hitter for the Marlins on the final day of the 2013 season. In a 1-0 walk-off win over the Detroit Tigers, he allowed just three baserunners on a walk, a hit by pitch and an error while striking out four and threw 99 pitches, 66 of which were strikes. Prior to reaching “The Show”, he earned back-to-back Futures Game selections in 2010 and 2011 and was named a Mid-Season All-Star in three consecutive seasons (2009-11). The righty spent the 2016 campaign in the Oakland Athletics organization, posting a 1-1 record with a 4.09 ERA in 11 starts across three levels. Alvarez was originally signed by the Blue Jays as an international free agent in 2007.