Sep 24, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesus Luzardo (44) throws a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the fifth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Climb into the DeLorean and let's go for a ride back in time.
We won't go far, just six months. Back to the end of March and right before the Phillies baseball season kicked off in Washington D.C.
When we get to that time in March, we'll hunt down that version of yourself and we'll tell them that the Phillies are going to have a pitcher, we won't say who, make 30 starts this season and finish 15-5 with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.112 WHIP with 210 strikeouts in 178 innings.
Who do you think that version of yourself would have predicted it would be?
Would they say that sounds like a solid Cristopher Sanchez season? Would they look at that stat line and say, we got a good Aaron Nola campaign? Or do those numbers sound like a mostly-effective, but not quite Cy Young worthy Zack Wheeler season?
The reality is it's none of them. And actually, no Phillies pitcher had those numbers this season, so you would be lying to the past version of yourself if you said someone did.
Well, it'd only a little white lie, because someone almost had that season.
Those are Jesus Luzardo's numbers if he didn't have two of the worst starts on record at the end of May against Milwaukee and the beginning of June in Toronto.
And you can't "take away" statistics. Your numbers are your numbers and allowing 20 runs and 21 hits in 5 2/3 innings over two starts can't just be expunged from your record like a couple of parking tickets.
Luzardo had to wear the stain of those two starts for much of the season. He was a clear-cut All-Star pitcher before those two starts, and then that went by the boards. He had to wear an ERA over 4.00 all season - until his final start on Wednesday when he allowed just one run over seven innings against the Miami Marlins in an 11-1 victory, lowering his ERA to 3.92 for the season.
Jesús Luzardo, K'ing the Side in the 1st. ✝️🦎 pic.twitter.com/vi4JU6oDL3
But that's what's made his season so impressive. He was able to overcome a pair of starts that would have sunk many a pitcher's seasons, and perhaps careers. He was able to figure out what wasn't working, and become a much more consistent contributor.
"Coming off those two blow up starts, just being able to fight back and get back on a roll," Luzardo said of his accomplishment of getting back on the horse. "Finding my groove again after that, I feel like I got knocked down a little bit and had to find what worked again and figure out some stuff with myself. And thankfully, we got back in a groove and back on a roll."
It's been one heck of a groove. Since the trade deadline, Luzardo has made 10 starts. He has gone 6-2 with a 3.16 ERA and a 0.926 WHIP. His walks are down. His strikeouts are up.
In those 10 starts he's struck out 76 batters in 62 2/3 innings. It's been so impressive that he's finished the season with 216 punch outs, which currently leads the National League.
Jesús Luzardo #Phillies is Wednesday’s Box-Toppers NL Player of the Day (7IP 3H R 0ER 0BB 10K W vs. MIA).
He earns 1.7 B-T points, giving him 17.4 for 2025, 7th overall & 4th among NL pitchers.
All Wednesday B-T Player of the Game winners: https://t.co/Oj8IpYsjf5 pic.twitter.com/cxvTxoz3BU
And it's likely earned him a spot in the Phillies playoff rotation ahead of Nola. Deservedly so.
While it could be intriguing to consider Luzardo as a multi-inning, high leverage arm out of the bullpen in the postseason, especially with his increase in strikeouts, He's clearly been consistent enough to take down 6-7 innings per start for most of the season. Having that is far more valuable than a situational bullpen role.
That's not to say that the possibility doesn't exist for Luzardo to be used out of the pen in some capacity in October. He has experience there before and the Phillies have shown the willingness to use certain pitchers as a Swiss Army knife in the playoffs - see Ranger Suarez in 2022.
But why mess with what is working?
The way Luzardo is pitching, it makes perfect sense to slot him into a Game 3 role.
"He just keeps rolling along here," manager Rob Thomson said after the 10-strikeout performance against Miami. "The change-up was really effective tonight. He got two strikeouts in the first inning on 3-2 (change-ups). The slider was good. He filled up the zone.
"He broke a career record for strikeouts and innings pitched and (matched a career record) for starts. So, that's a really impressive season for him."
Jesus Luzardo will start 32 games and set a career high in innings pitched in 2025.
What has impressed Rob Thomson about Luzardo's up and down first season in Philadelphia?
"This isn’t the normal place to play because there’s a lot of expectations. There's a lot of noise. When a… pic.twitter.com/QpOIAOA0Bs
His changeup has been used with more frequency and efficacy in recent starts. But what is most impressive is how he is mixing his pitches - keeping hitters off balance and inducing more swing and miss.
He threw 24 change ups against the Marlins. The rest of his pitches? He threw 27 sweepers, 26 four-seamers and 25 sinkers.
That's balance.
And that's why Luzardo deserves to have his next start be on Wednesday, October 8, in Game 3 of the the NLDS against whoever, in someone else's ballpark, in what would be the biggest start of his career.
"I'm extremely excited," Luzardo said.
As he should be, because the opportunity ahead of him has been well-earned.
