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  • Luzardo discusses trade to Phillies, thinks he’s past back injury – NBC Sports Philadelphia

    Luzardo discusses trade to Phillies, thinks he’s past back injury – NBC Sports Philadelphia


    Jesus Luzardo was getting ready for a relaxing Sunday morning on the lake eight days ago when he received a call from the Marlins telling him he had been traded to the Phillies.

    He didn’t expect the news that morning but was aware he could be on the move this offseason because of an increasing salary and the Marlins’ perpetual rebuild.

    “I was getting ready to go fish, I actually got the call right before I got out on the boat,” Luzardo said Monday afternoon via Zoom.

    “I could kind of see the writing on the wall but it’s always a big change, your life’s turned upside down. But definitely for a positive impact, I would say. I’m looking forward to it.”

    Luzardo fills out the Phillies’ rotation and if he’s close to the pitcher he was in 2022 and 2023, they should boast baseball’s best and deepest starting staff with himself, Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez. In 50 starts over those two seasons, Luzardo pitched to a 3.48 ERA with 328 strikeouts in 279 innings. His opponents hit .223.

    A lefty with his velocity, secondary pitches and results could pitch as a No. 2 in most rotations. If he can stay healthy …

    That is the big if, and the reason why the Luzardo trade cost the Phillies talented 19-year-old infielder Starlyn Caba but not one of their top three prospects (Andrew Painter, Aidan Miller, Justin Crawford). Luzardo missed two weeks last season with elbow tightness and did not pitch after June 16 because of a stress reaction in his lower back.

    He is optimistic, though, about being past the back injury based on how he has felt this offseason and what he’s heard from doctors.

    “I feel 100%, I’ve felt 100% the whole offseason,” he said. “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.

    “The stress reaction was just basically a vertebra on the spine getting bothered by constant stress, constant rotation or the lack of rotation. At one point, it just gets really irritated. It bothered me doing a lot of things — tying my shoes, bending over, brushing my teeth, rotating on the mound. It definitely affected me in a lot of different ways and it was frustrating trying to maneuver that and still get out there and pitch every five days. It just got to a point where I couldn’t do it anymore.

    “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 is 27 years old and isn’t set for free agency until after the 2026 season. He projects to earn $6 million through arbitration this offseason and might cost a total of $17-18M over the next two. Beyond the rotation boost he should provide the Phillies, that’s significant and necessary financial value compared to what starting pitchers are receiving in free agency.

    The Red Sox last week signed Patrick Sandoval to a two-year, $18.25M contract and he won’t even pitch in the first half this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in June. Frankie Montas, a No. 4/5 starter, signed for $34M over two years with the Mets. Matthew Boyd, another back-end starter who hasn’t pitched a full season in five years, signed for $29M over two years with the Cubs.

    Luzardo is younger than them all with a substantially higher ceiling and will likely earn less than them all in 2025 and 2026, which matters for a Phillies team already over the fourth and final luxury tax threshold of $301 million. Every dollar matters this offseason, as outlined here. The penalties are harsh. The Phillies are essentially paying double for every player they add.

    “We asked about Luzardo a couple times during the winter just to check in, and then it happened very quickly last week,” president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said just before Christmas.

    “We’ve liked him for a few years. He was down for a while last year, we did very thorough medicals and felt comfortable with where he is.”

    So does Luzardo, who got started a bit earlier than usual this offseason to ease his transition into 2025. While he can’t guarantee the back injury won’t return, he’s put it out of his mind and thrown freely since the season ended.

    “I don’t have the exact answer because I don’t know how I’ll feel in two, three, four, five years, but from what I’ve understood, once it heals, it calcifies or hardens up and you don’t have an issue again,” he said. “I’ve been able to get up on the mound, do what I need to do without any pain, no symptoms. Haven’t really thought of it or felt it, so hopefully it’s something that’s just behind me and never have to think about it again. That’s the understanding that I’ve gotten from these doctors so I’m not really worried about it right now.”



    In a recent interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia, Oakland Athletics pitcher Jesus Luzardo opened up about the trade that sent him to the Philadelphia Phillies and his confidence in overcoming his past back injury.

    Luzardo, who was acquired by the Phillies in a trade deadline deal, expressed his excitement about joining a new team and is looking forward to the opportunity to contribute to their pitching staff. The 23-year-old left-hander acknowledged that being traded can be a bittersweet experience, but he is focused on making the most of his new opportunity.

    When asked about his past back injury, which has been a concern for some teams, Luzardo was confident in his ability to stay healthy and perform at a high level. He emphasized that he has worked hard to address any lingering issues and believes he is past the injury that sidelined him earlier in his career.

    Phillies fans can look forward to seeing Luzardo take the mound and showcase his talent in the coming season. With his positive attitude and determination to succeed, Luzardo is poised to make a significant impact for his new team. Stay tuned for more updates on Luzardo’s journey with the Phillies.

    Tags:

    Luzardo trade to Phillies, Luzardo back injury update, Phillies trade news, MLB trade rumors, Luzardo injury update, Philadelphia Phillies trade analysis, MLB trade news, Luzardo trade analysis, MLB trade speculation

    #Luzardo #discusses #trade #Phillies #thinks #hes #injury #NBC #Sports #Philadelphia

  • Jesus Luzardo Discusses Return From Injury

    Jesus Luzardo Discusses Return From Injury


    Phillies newly-acquired starter Jesús Luzardo chatted with the Philadelphia beat over Zoom on Monday. The southpaw finished the 2024 season on the injured list but indicated he’s going into next season at full strength.

    “I feel 100%. I’ve felt 100% the whole offseason,” Luzardo said. “Last year, the back was really the problem. Now that we’ve got that all figured out, thankfully everything’s back to normal.” He added that he has had a typical offseason, so it seems fair to assume he’ll be a full go for Spring Training. A lumbar stress reaction sent Luzardo to the 15-day IL in the second half of June. It didn’t take long before Miami transferred him to the 60-day injured list. The Marlins shut him down for good in early August.

    Luzardo’s final season with the Marlins was a disappointment. The 27-year-old lefty struggled to an even 5.00 earned run average over 12 starts. He struck out a slightly below-average 21.2% of batters faced. Luzardo missed a couple weeks early in the year with elbow tightness, but the back proved much more problematic.

    A fully healthy version of Luzardo is a #2 or #3 caliber starter. He showed that upside in 2023. Luzardo turned in a 3.58 ERA while striking out 28.1% of opponents across 178 2/3 innings. Luzardo averaged nearly 97 MPH on his heater and missed plenty of bats with both his slider and changeup. His 14.1% overall swinging strike rate ranked sixth among qualified starting pitchers.

    Philadelphia sent highly-regarded shortstop prospect Starlyn Caba to Miami as the headliner of the Luzardo trade. A return to his ’23 form would arguably give Philadelphia the best front five in MLB. He’ll slot behind Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola and alongside Ranger Suárez and Cristopher Sánchez in Rob Thomson’s staff. The depth isn’t great, though the Phils have added Joe Ross on a $4MM free agent deal to join Taijuan Walker as candidates for swing roles.

    Pitching prospect Andrew Painter could eventually be a factor, but that won’t happen within the season’s first month or two. Philadelphia is being very cautious with the touted 21-year-old righty, whom they’ve seemingly kept untouchable in trade talks. Painter is working back from July 2023 Tommy John surgery. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters (including Matt Gelb of the Athletic) last week that the Phils won’t have Painter pitch in games during Spring Training. He’ll continue throwing on the side in the spring and will subsequently need to build into game shape in the minors.

    Painter made six appearances and tallied 15 2/3 innings in last year’s Arizona Fall League. That’s his only game action since the conclusion of the 2022 season. The Phillies will need to keep a close watch on his workload and certainly envision Painter as a factor in a potential pennant race. It’s understandable they’d prefer to start him slowly and concentrate on saving his bullets for what they hope will be another playoff push. That’s especially true now that Luzardo is in the fold, allowing them to open the season with both Ross and Walker in the ’pen if their top five arms are healthy.



    Jesus Luzardo, the talented young pitcher for the Oakland Athletics, recently made his long-awaited return from injury and spoke about his journey back to the mound.

    In a press conference, Luzardo opened up about the challenges he faced during his recovery process and how he stayed focused on his goal of getting back to pitching in the big leagues.

    “It was definitely a tough road back from my injury, but I stayed positive and worked hard every day to get back to where I needed to be,” Luzardo said. “I had a great support system with my teammates, coaches, and medical staff who helped me through the tough times.”

    Luzardo also expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to be back on the field and compete with his teammates.

    “It feels amazing to be back out there doing what I love,” Luzardo said. “I’m grateful for the chance to pitch again and help my team win games.”

    Fans of the Athletics are excited to see Luzardo back in action and are looking forward to seeing him make a big impact on the team’s success moving forward.

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  • Jesús Luzardo talks about trade to Phillies

    Jesús Luzardo talks about trade to Phillies


    PHILADELPHIA — ’s 2024 season in Miami ended after just 12 starts due to a stress reaction in his lower back.

    But that issue is behind him, according to Luzardo.

    “I feel 100 percent,” Luzardo said on a Zoom call with reporters Monday. “I’ve felt 100 percent the whole offseason. Yeah, last year definitely the back was the root issue and the problem. And now that we’ve got that all figured out, thankfully, everything is back to normal.”

    The Phillies acquired Luzardo and Minor League catcher Paul McIntosh last week in a trade with Miami for prospects Starlyn Caba and Emaarion Boyd. The Phils expect Luzardo to bolster a rotation that includes Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez and Cristopher Sánchez. If everybody is healthy, it could be the best rotation in baseball.

    And that’s before the potential midsummer arrival of Philly’s top pitching prospect Andrew Painter, who has spent the past few years working out at the same South Florida gym as Luzardo.

    “I know Painter a good bit,” Luzardo said. “Growing up down here, there’s a tight knit baseball brotherhood. You know everyone. I heard his name a lot when he was young. … I’m looking forward to sharing a clubhouse with him this year. He’s a stud.”

    Luzardo has All-Star-quality talent; he just needs to stay healthy. He missed two weeks early last season because of left elbow tightness, then he was scratched from his June 22 start because of a lumbar stress reaction. He didn’t pitch again.

    “From what I understand, the stress reaction was just basically a vertebrae in the spine getting basically bothered by constant stress, constant rotation or the lack of rotation,” Luzardo said. “At one point it just basically gets really irritated and bothered. It bothered me with a lot of things, tying my shoes, bending over to brush my teeth to rotating on the mound. It definitely affected me in a lot of different ways. It was frustrating to try to maneuver that and still get out there and pitch every five days. It got to the point where I just couldn’t do it anymore.

    “After the shutdown, I took time off. Every doctor I saw said the same thing. These things actually heal really well. Once it happens once it usually doesn’t happen again. It’s more of just letting it calm down, letting it heal itself. Once you do get back, you should be good to go.”

    This is the third time Luzardo, 27, has been traded. The Nationals selected him in the third round of the 2016 Draft and a year later he was traded to the A’s in a package for relievers Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson. On July 28, 2021, he was acquired by the Marlins for Starling Marte.

    This time, Luzardo learned about the trade to Philly before he stepped onto a friend’s boat to fish on Dec. 22.

    “It was not what I expected on a Sunday morning,” Luzardo said. “It’s definitely different. The first time, I was a little kid basically. I was in Rookie ball at the time so I didn’t know much. The second time, I was caught a little more off guard, coming from the A’s to the Marlins. This time, I could kind of see the writing on the wall, but it’s always a change, a big change — your life kind of turned upside down. But definitely for a positive impact, I would say.

    “I’m super excited. Being able to witness the Red October and being able to pitch in that environment, being on the opposing side — now [I’m] looking forward to being on the home side, obviously.”



    In a recent interview, Jesús Luzardo, the talented left-handed pitcher for the Oakland Athletics, opened up about the rumors swirling around a potential trade to the Philadelphia Phillies.

    Luzardo, who has been a key player for the A’s since making his MLB debut in 2019, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to play in Oakland but also acknowledged that trade rumors are simply part of the business.

    “I love playing for the A’s and I’m grateful for everything they’ve done for me,” Luzardo said. “But at the end of the day, I understand that trades are a part of the game and I just have to focus on staying ready to perform wherever I may end up.”

    The 23-year-old pitcher has shown tremendous potential on the mound, with a blazing fastball and devastating off-speed pitches. Many teams, including the Phillies, have reportedly shown interest in acquiring Luzardo to bolster their pitching staff.

    While Luzardo didn’t confirm or deny any specific trade talks, he made it clear that he is prepared for whatever the future may hold.

    “I’m just staying focused on my training and getting better every day,” Luzardo said. “Wherever I end up, I’ll be ready to give it my all and help my team win.”

    As the MLB offseason continues, it will be interesting to see if Luzardo does indeed find himself wearing a Phillies uniform next season. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.

    Tags:

    Jesús Luzardo, Philadelphia Phillies trade, MLB trade rumors, baseball trade news, Jesús Luzardo interview, MLB player trade, Philadelphia Phillies, Jesús Luzardo trade update

    #Jesús #Luzardo #talks #trade #Phillies

  • Jesús Luzardo trade grades: Phillies do well to upgrade rotation, but Marlins return raises health questions

    Jesús Luzardo trade grades: Phillies do well to upgrade rotation, but Marlins return raises health questions


    The Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins struck a four-player trade on Sunday centered around left-handed pitcher Jesús Luzardo. The Marlins, continuing their sell-off under second-year executive Peter Bendix, received a pair of minor-league players, including switch-hitting shortstop prospect Starlyn Caba.

    As is always the case when a notable deal happens during the offseason, I’m here to provide trade grades. Below, I’ve analyzed each player involved in the swap while providing both larger thoughts about the transaction’s circumstances and a letter grade for each side that attempts to summarize my general feelings.

    First, here’s the deal in whole:

    • Phillies receive: LHP Jesús Luzardo, C Paul McIntosh
    • Marlins receive: SS Starlyn Caba, OF Emaarion Boyd 

    Now, on to the reason you clicked.

    Phillies: B+

    Player health is the great unknown in public sports analysis. It’s the No. 1 variable that turns reasonable preseason projections into freezing cold takes, and it’s the unseen mover that helps shape trades and contracts in either direction. If you sit still, unfocus your eyes, and get lucky, then sometimes you can catch a glimpse of it in motion. That’s the case here, where I have to assume Luzardo’s physical status (he was limited to 12 starts last season by back and elbow issues) suppressed his market.

    Otherwise? Luzardo is a 27-year-old southpaw with a quality three-pitch mix. Oh, and in addition to generating a 119 ERA+ since 2022, has two seasons of team control remaining. On paper, that’s one heck of an addition to a Phillies rotation that already features Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez, and Cristopher Sánchez. 

    Again, though, the glimpses might — might — convince you that Luzardo’s availability and output could be compromised. His average fastball velocity declined by 1.5 mph year to year, and his caliber of stuff also worsened. Don’t take my word for it. Baseball Prospectus’ StuffPro metric, a model that judges quality of pitches based on their innate traits, had only his slider graded as an average or better offering in 2024.

    The Phillies have more information about Luzardo’s health. Maybe there’s nothing to my concerns, or maybe they’re willing to chance it. If it’s the former, this grade will look light. If it’s the latter, the Phillies are well positioned to roll the dice: they need just four of the five starters to be healthy and effective by the time next October comes around.

    McIntosh, 27, spent last season in Double-A as an overaged backstop, hitting .246/.340/.385 with 12 home runs. He has good strength and has always been receptive to taking a free pass. Alas, he’s struggled to keep his strikeout rate in check, and it’s hard to ignore that the Marlins kept him in Double-A all year rather than give him so much as an audition at the big-league level.

    Marlins: C

    Bendix’s teardown of the Marlins is nearing completion. Just six of the 24 players who appeared during Miami’s 2023 Wild Card Series remain in the organization: Jesús Sánchez, Xavier Edwards, Braxton Garrett, Nick Fortes, Andrew Nardi, and George Soriano. Clearly none of them should get too comfortable on South Beach. 

    Anyway, this here is a trade where Bendix is clearly prioritizing ceiling over floor.

    Caba, 19, struggled in his first taste of pro ball outside of the complex. Over 26 games in the Florida State League, he batted .179/.304/.190 with one extra-base hit in 115 plate appearances. It was a small sample in a league where his average opponent was nearly three years his senior, but the stint reinforced concerns about his offensive profile.

    Caba is on the small side (he’s listed at 5-foot-9, 160 pounds) and has shown minimal ability to impact the baseball from either side of the plate — to the extent that his spray chart makes Jacob Wilson look strong. He does have an appreciable feel for the zone and contact alike, connecting on more than 85% of his swings in the FSL. That explains how he was able to record more walks than strikeouts despite his poor topline results.

    The question in front of Caba is whether or not he can burn pitchers enough for his on-base skills to matter. The alternative scenario has pitchers pounding the zone and force-feeding him strikeouts without concern. If there’s good news for Caba, it’s that he doesn’t have to provide much offensive value to justify a roster spot (and perhaps even part of the starting lineup). He’s an outstanding defensive shortstop and a capable thief who has succeeded on 66 of his 84 professional stolen-base attempts. 

    It would be too cute to describe Boyd, 21, as the outfield version of Caba. There are some similarities, however, since both are contact-and-speed driven players with serious offensive downsides. To wit, he spent last season in High-A, hitting .239/.317/.331 with three home runs and 27 stolen bases (on 39 attempts). Boyd, like Caba, was also young for the league (by two years); the greatest difference between the two is that Boyd is a less refined defender who has primarily played left during his professional career.

    The Marlins appear to be banking on their ability to more accurately evaluate the hit tool (the metaphysical component of a player’s game that can be summed up as “can they swing it or not?”) in power-barren profiles, as well as to tease out more from each player’s athleticism. Maybe Miami cashes out; both Caba and Boyd have some intriguing right-tail outcomes. It’s hard to shake the feeling that this return feels a touch light, be it because of Luzardo’s health or the Marlins keying in on a type.





    The Philadelphia Phillies made a significant move to upgrade their starting rotation by acquiring left-handed pitcher Jesús Luzardo from the Miami Marlins. However, the return the Marlins received in the trade has raised some questions about Luzardo’s health and potential impact on the team.

    Grade for Phillies: B+
    The Phillies addressed a major need by adding Luzardo to their rotation, which has struggled at times this season. Luzardo, who has shown flashes of potential in his young career, could provide a much-needed boost to the Phillies’ pitching staff. While Luzardo does come with some injury concerns, the upside he brings to the team makes this a solid move for Philadelphia.

    Grade for Marlins: C-
    While the Marlins did receive some prospects in return for Luzardo, including right-handed pitcher Kyle Nicolas and outfielder Jorge Barrosa, the return may not have been as strong as they had hoped. Luzardo, despite his injury history, was a highly regarded young pitcher with plenty of potential. The Marlins will have to hope that the prospects they received can develop into impact players in the future to make up for the loss of Luzardo.

    Overall, the Phillies did well to upgrade their rotation with the acquisition of Luzardo, but the Marlins may have received a less than ideal return in the trade. Only time will tell how this trade will ultimately impact both teams in the long run.

    Tags:

    Jesús Luzardo trade, Phillies, Marlins, rotation upgrade, health questions, MLB trade grades, baseball trade analysis, pitching prospects, Miami Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies, MLB news, sports analysis

    #Jesús #Luzardo #trade #grades #Phillies #upgrade #rotation #Marlins #return #raises #health #questions