Phillies' Newest Starter Jesús Luzardo Aims for Comeback in 2025

Phillies' recent addition, left-handed pitcher Jesús Luzardo, engaged with the Philadelphia press via Zoom on Monday, declaring his readiness for the upcoming season. Luzardo, who ended the 2024 season on the injured list, confidently asserted that he is back to full strength.

“I feel 100%. I’ve felt 100% the whole offseason,” Luzardo shared. “Last year, the back was really the problem. Now that we’ve got that all figured out, thankfully everything’s back to normal.” Luzardo confirmed he has had a typical offseason, indicating he’ll be fully prepared for Spring Training. A lumbar stress reaction had landed Luzardo on the 15-day IL in mid-June, and he was later transferred to the 60-day injured list by the Marlins, who ultimately shut him down for the season in early August.

The 2024 season was tough for Luzardo, who struggled with a 5.00 ERA over 12 starts. His strikeout rate dipped slightly below average, at 21.2% of batters faced. Early in the season, Luzardo faced elbow tightness, but his back injury became the primary concern.