Philadelphia Phillies star pitcher Jesus Luzardo delivered great news regarding his health ahead of the 2025 season.
Phillies: Jesus Luzardo says he’s back to full strength
According to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Corey Seidman, Luzardo had this to say about where he’s at from a physical standpoint at this juncture of the offseason (h/t Brad Wakai of Philadelphia Phillies on SI):
“I feel 100%, I’ve felt 100% the whole offseason. Last year, the back was really the root of the issue and the problem. Now that we’ve got that figured out, thankfully everything is back to normal … I took time off and the doctors all said the same thing: These things actually heal really well, and once it happens once, it usually doesn’t happen again. It’s more of just letting it calm down, letting it heal itself,” Luzardo said.
Phillies: Luzardo suffered several injuries in recent years
The 27-year-old saw his 2024 season cut short to only 12 starts after he suffered a lumbar stress reaction that placed him on the 60-day injured list in late June and shut him down for good in August.
Its been a rollercoaster ride for Luzardo prior to that. He did make 32 starts in 2023, going 10-10 with a strong 3.58 ERA and a blistering 208 strikeouts, but was limited to 18 starts in 2022 due to a left forearm strain. Albeit, he was on pace to mirror his output from 2023 that year, as he tossed 120 Ks behind a 3.32 ERA, which, if continued at a 32-game pace, would have seen him amass 213 Ks. He also missed time in 2021 due to a pinky injury.
Luzardo could return to elite form in Phillies rotation
Now that his lengthy string of ailments is behind him, the Peruvian-born hurler will bring elite precision in the strike zone to an already-stout Phillies rotation. Should he remain healthy from Opening Day until the end of Philadelphia’s 2025 campaign, he could not only threaten to lead the team in strikeouts at an efficient rate but also be a difference-maker in the playoffs and help the ball club get past some of their bitter National League foes such as the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers.