Phillies Place Luzardo on IL, Eye Playoff Return — SkimNews
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- Jesús Luzardo was placed on the 15-day IL on Tuesday with shoulder stiffness, three days after being scratched from a start; an MRI showed no structural damage, with the team describing the issue as inflammation.
- RHP Grant Holman was recalled to fill Luzardo's spot on the Phillies' roster.
- Don Mattingly said the Phillies aren't ruling out a playoff start for Luzardo, noting the IL stint was backdated the maximum three days, making him eligible to return Saturday, Sept. 26.
- Luzardo downplayed a connection between the injury and his prior start — a two-hit shutout of the Braves with 12 strikeouts and 109 pitches — telling reporters, "it's September, so it could have really been anything."
- The Phillies entered play Tuesday one game up on the third wild-card spot and 3½ games up on a postseason berth, with the Wild Card Series scheduled to begin Sept. 29.
- Luzardo, who turns 29 in two weeks, ranks sixth among all pitchers in WAR and is in the first year of a five-year, $135 million extension alongside Cristopher Sánchez and Zack Wheeler in Philadelphia's rotation.
Why it matters: Luzardo's availability could decide whether the Phillies open the Wild Card Series with their elite Sánchez-Wheeler-Luzardo trio or fall back to Aaron Nola as a Game 3 starter — a significant step down per the source. With Luzardo facing at least 21 days between starts and the Wild Card Series beginning Sept. 29, Philadelphia may need to use him in relief or squeeze in a final-week tune-up just to keep him sharp for October.
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