Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Jesús Luzardo was placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday due to left shoulder inflammation, retroactively set to September 12. The move arrives as the team fights for the National League Wild Card, leaving Luzardo’s postseason rotation availability up to his recovery timeline.
The Philadelphia Phillies placed Luzardo on the 15-day injured list ahead of their series opener in Washington, bringing a sudden halt to one of the most dominant stretches by any starting pitcher in Major League Baseball this season. The roster move follows Luzardo’s recent scratch from a scheduled start in Atlanta due to left shoulder stiffness. While an initial MRI didn’t reveal any structural damage, the pitcher’s shoulder failed to respond to rest as training staff hoped, short-circuiting plans for a Tuesday throwing session in the nation’s capital.
Prior to the official announcement, manager Don Mattingly passed the info onto reporters, including Matt Gelb of The Athletic.
Right now, it's just inflammation throughout the shoulder,
Luzardo said. Trying to get the inflammation to calm down. Try to get the muscles to relax and be able to throw without pain.
Rotation Impact and Bullpen Plans in Washington
To fill the open roster spot, left-hander Kyle Backhus was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. According to Gelb, the Phillies will have a bullpen day every fifth day until October.
The original plan was for the All-Star left-hander to not throw for two days, then be re-evaluated Tuesday in D.C., where he would potentially try throwing. However, his shoulder did not improve the way the Phillies had hoped, leading to the IL stint instead of a throwing session. On Monday he was getting treatment in hopes of playing catch on Tuesday. However, he told the team he was not comfortable throwing and is going on the injured list.
I told them I don't feel comfortable throwing,
Luzardo said Tuesday, per The Athletic’s Matt Gelb. I know where we're at. I know it's an important part of the season. I want to be out there for the guys. But I feel like I'd be doing a disservice to them if I'm not at my best.
Wild Card Stakes and Postseason Uncertainty
The timing deals a heavy competitive blow to a clubhouse currently holding the second National League Wild Card spot. They entered Tuesday holding the second National League Wild Card spot, but just a half-game behind the Cubs for the all-important No. 1 Wild Card spot. The top Wild Card team will host the No. 2 Wild Card team in a best-of-three series. The Phillies entered Tuesday sitting a half-game behind the Chicago Cubs for the top NL wild-card spot and 3 ½ games up on Arizona, the last team out, with 12 to play. The Padres hold the third spot, just one game behind Philadelphia. The Diamondbacks are 2.5 games back of San Diego. That’s still a healthy position for the Phillies to be in. The Playoff Odds at FanGraphs give them a 95.6% chance of getting in. The PECOTA Standings at Baseball Prospectus are even more bullish, giving the Phillies a 98.4% chance.
Despite missing time, Luzardo will be eligible to return from the IL on Sept. 27, the last day of the regular season, when the Phillies host the Rays. If all goes well, he could make an appearance in Game 162. Otherwise, the next time he takes the mound might be in a playoff game. The Phillies could use Luzardo as a reliever in Game 162 to get him back into a game, and then set him up for a long relief outing or a start in the first round. However, this is assuming that Luzardo is ready to go when he is eligible to come off the injured list.
Ideally, the timeline does work out that way,” Luzardo said. “Obviously, we have to see where I’m at throwing-wise. But the plan is to be ready to go for October. And yeah, I feel fully confident. It’s been a long year. I’ve thrown a lot of pitches. Three weeks off the mound or without being on the mound might be a little rusty, you would think. But I’m confident in myself in my preparation and I know that we’re gonna do all t…
I say guaranteed, like, in my mind I can say I will,
Luzardo said. I can't say a hundred percent: 'Oh, yeah, I'm going to start for this team.' But that's the goal, and I feel confident that I can make that happen.
Historical Context of a Season
The physical setback contrasts sharply with Luzardo’s performance. Jesus Luzardo, the National League’s pitcher of the month in August, was placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with inflammation in his left shoulder. Luzardo, who ranks third in the NL in innings pitched (178 2/3) and seventh in ERA (2.87), will be eligible to return from the IL on Sept. 27. The lefty has been having a fantastic season, with a 2.87 earned run average across 29 starts. His 30.4% strikeout rate, 7.2% walk rate and 48.3% ground ball rate are all strong figures. FanGraphs has credited him with 5.5 wins above replacement this year, which puts him fourth in the National League behind Jacob Misiorowski, Cristopher Sánchez and Chris Sale. He has a 2.87 ERA this season.
My level of concern for the future is not that high because I know it’s something that will go away with time, but right now we don’t have much time, that’s just where I’m at,
Luzardo said. “I’m a little frustrated with what it is, but not that concerned in the long run. Right now, it’s just inflammation throughout the shoulder. We’re trying to get the inflammation to calm down, trying to get the muscles to relax and be able to throw without pain. It’s way better since Friday. We’ve made a lot of progress. The feeling is, let’s get it right so we don’t have to worry about it in October.”
Luzardo was asked to describe what he was feeling inside the shoulder. Pain? Tenderness?
It’s enough for me not to throw,” he said. “I can go through a lot of stuff, but right now I didn’t feel like (throwing) was something I needed to go through, esp…
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