Luzardo exceeds expectations in wild-card return

Dustin Judge
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesus Luzardo (44) reacts after the tenth inning

Jesús Luzardo returned from left shoulder inflammation and exceeded expectations in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series on Tuesday, pitching five strong innings before handing the ball to Philadelphia’s bullpen.

The left-hander yielded one run on three hits and one walk while fanning six over 77 pitches. He exited with the score knotted at 1, but Philadelphia’s bullpen gave up a three-run homer and fell 5-3.

What the team and Jesus Luzardo said

Jesus Luzardo threw only four pitches in a scoreless inning Sunday against Tampa Bay, his first action since Sept. 7. Manager Don Mattingly initially listed him as the opener but expected him to pitch deeper—a prediction that proved accurate.

“The plan was, see how we’re feeling and keep going,” Luzardo said. “I mean, adrenaline, playoffs. Just feeling good.”

Catcher J.T. Realmuto said he had confidence Luzardo would succeed. “That’s just who he’s been for us all year long,” Realmuto said.

“He’s a competitor. He wants the ball. He’s tough.”He exceeded my expectations,” Realmuto said.

“That’s just who he’s been for us all year long. He’s a competitor. He wants the ball.

He’s tough.”

The performance

Luzardo retired the side on 10 pitches in the first inning. The second inning proved costly when he fielded an Austin Riley grounder with runners at the corners and chose a rundown with Mauricio Dubón instead of attempting a potential double play at second.

“More kicking myself on the pitch to Yaz than the play,” Luzardo said, pointing to Mike Yastrzemski’s single that tied the game.

Luzardo allowed one hit and three baserunners the rest of the way before giving way to rookie right-hander Alex McFarlane in the sixth. The performance marked his best playoff start of his career, and he generated 11 whiffs on his 77 pitches.

Season context

Luzardo’s 1.69 ERA since June 10 was the lowest in Major League Baseball, a reason the Phillies trusted him despite the three-week absence. He finished the regular season with a 2.86 ERA and 1.07 WHIP across 179.2 innings.

What’s next

The Phillies must win the next two games for Luzardo to start again in the NL Division Series, where he would be capable of pitching even deeper into games.

Reporting from CBS Sports, ESPN, MLB.com and Inquirer contributed to this story.

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.