Phillies Place Luzardo on IL; Playoff Return Unclear — SkimNews
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- Philadelphia Phillies placed Jesús Luzardo on the 15-day IL on Tuesday, three days after he was scratched from a start with shoulder stiffness; an MRI revealed no structural damage.
- Luzardo told reporters he doesn't feel comfortable throwing and would be 'doing a disservice' to teammates if he pitched without being at his best.
- Kyle Backhus was recalled from the minors to fill Luzardo's roster spot.
- The shoulder issue surfaced immediately after Luzardo's two-hit shutout against the Atlanta Braves last week, in which he struck out 12 batters and threw 109 pitches.
- Mattingly said the Phillies aren't ruling Luzardo out for a postseason start; by backdating the IL stint, Luzardo is eligible to return Saturday, September 26, three days before the Wild Card Series begins.
- The Phillies enter Tuesday one game up on the third wild-card spot and 3½ games up on a postseason berth overall.
- Aaron Nola would likely fill Luzardo's rotation spot alongside Cristopher Sánchez and Zack Wheeler; Luzardo ranks sixth among all pitchers in WAR and is in the first year of a five-year, $135 million extension.
Why it matters: Luzardo ranks sixth in WAR on a $135 million contract and is the third pillar of Philadelphia's rotation behind Wheeler and Sánchez — his absence at least through September 26 forces Aaron Nola into a high-leverage playoff role the team otherwise wouldn't need him in. The Phillies hold only a one-game cushion over the third wild-card spot, so dropping from Luzardo to Nola for the Wild Card Series could be the difference between advancing and going home.
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