Jesús Luzardo impresses in the “Electric” -Phillies -Debüt, his first start in 257 days

Clearwater, Fla. – It was 257 days since Jesús Luzardo had most recently appeared in a game. He learned the date by heart. “The first trip to another team since June 16 last year,” said Luzardo on Friday afternoon after he had given his Phillies debut. Usually Luzardo said that he would be a little afraid before the start – spring training or not.

But he knows his body. He knew how it felt last June 16; The last fastball he threw that day was 92.1 miles per hour. His back hurt.

It was different now. Not afraid this time.

“It was a little more (feeling) of the excitement,” said Luzardo.

Consider it as a decent first impression. His fastball was 97 miles per hour in a two-in-in start against the Boston Red Sox. He touched 98 miles per hour. His change had life. He looked in a row in Boston with minor League hits and needed 19 parking spaces to record six outs. The results were less important than the underlying measurements.

Luzardo was more likely to see the version 2023 a promising left-hander who threw hard, registered a career high in Innings and was divided as a starter for game 1 for a follow-up series.

JT Realmuto was an opponent in the Phillies Marlins Wild Card series that night; He previously seen 99 miles per hour Fastball from Luzardo. He is 2-against-16 with five strikeouuts life against Luzardo. The Phillies have never had a left starter who can throw as hard as Luzardo. He is 27 years old.

Realmuto raved about his latest toy.

“I have the feeling that we” have No. 1 and maybe four No. 2, “said Realmuto.” It is what it feels like to be honest. So I don't know where he is doing, but it is a big problem that we don't know who is 1st place. “

Maybe that's exaggeration. Maybe not.

“It was a lot of fun,” said Realmuto. “Electric stuff. I had to try to beat him for five or six years. So, it was certainly fun to catch him and work with him on the other side. We saw who he is today. He beats the strike zone. The rackets really attack and get a lot of weak contact. It will be fun to work with him. “

Luzardo to start the season could make fourth place. The Phillies were able to open up in Washington with Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez and Aaron Nola. Then Luzardo would have the start of the home against Colorado. Regardless of this, the Phillies are optimistic that Luzardo can act better than a starter of the rotation.

There will be speeds; Keeping Luzardo sharp and healthy for six months is a challenge. He only put 101 innings in the shadows in the majors once in his career. The Phillies can be proactive with the management of Luzardo's workload, but it is not a problem for him. He had a normal low season. He started throwing a little earlier than normal because he had missed so much time last season.

So he was confident that his body was unveiled on Friday.

“I like to get to the camp to go,” said Luzardo.

“The stuff,” said manager Rob Thomson, “was better than I thought we would see.”

Six up, six down in Luzardo's first excursion than Phil 🙌 pic.twitter.com/qaugpxxfdz

– Philadelphia Phillies (@phillies) February 28, 2025

Luzardo had a 3.25 ERA in 36 Innerings in the regular season against the Phillies with 45 swings and seven walks. The Phillies knew what kind of jug he was when he was right. Thomson enjoyed seeing Luzardo up close this spring.

“He is somehow calm and modest,” said Thomson. “But when he climbs on the hill, he comes afterwards. And I saw that when he was with Miami. But you really see it when you are up close. Even make his bullpens and throw BP. It is very competitive. “

After trading in December to acquire him, Luzardo said that the Phillies had various ideas about how he could attack rackets. The trainers have not yet implemented significant changes to his arsenal. You are satisfied with finding his camps and concentrating on health this spring. They gave Luzardo a comprehensive slider, a harder than his trademark, which has more downward movement. He threw a comprehensive slider in Friday with 88 miles per hour.

“My slider was my whole career my bread and butter,” said Luzardo. “So that's something we don't want to put on with. We research other ways to get boys out. So spring is time to work on it. “

Realmuto supports the idea.

“It is something that he can mix into the legal system perhaps for a strike baking door,” said Realmuto. “I think it can be a real weapon for him against the left because it is a little bigger. Maybe a little more swing and miss for these boys with two strikes. And so he used it. So far it looked like a really solid pitch. “

It will not be an important part of Luzardo's Pitch mix – just a tweak. Realmuto was most impressed by Luzardo's change, which was 88 miles per hour. Luzardo threw four changes to the Red Sox rackets with Minor League. You did it every four times.

“I remember that it was a good place, but his change looks like it has gotten even better this season,” said Realmuto. “His fastball bike is there. The command with the fastball. His stuff is electrical. “

Larger tests will be in front of them. But the recovery of his fastball speed on the last day in February felt the important milestone for Luzardo.

His trust was not laid.

“It definitely feels like I was back and healthy,” said Luzardo. “It is not forced. It doesn't overexpose me. It is only free and easier and works down the hill. The arm simply feels alive again. “

(Photo: Kim Klement Neitzel / Imagn Images)