The Philadelphia Phillies acquired Jesus Luzardo at the end of December, a move that carries some risk.
When healthy and performing well, Luzardo is among the top left-handed pitchers in baseball. However, injuries have been a recurring issue for him, though there’s optimism that those challenges are behind him and he could become a key asset for the Phillies’ rotation.
Additionally, Philadelphia is getting Luzardo at a reasonable cost. According to Robert Murray of FanSided, the two sides avoided arbitration ahead of the Thursday deadline, agreeing on a $6.225 million deal.
Arbitration cases can be tricky, and players often end up being underpaid. If Luzardo were a free agent, he’d likely command more than double this amount.
Still, that’s how the system works, and it’s beneficial for the Phillies.
Luzardo won’t reach free agency until 2027, but if he performs to his potential, he is likely to earn a pay raise through arbitration in the future.
In 2024, Luzardo made only 12 appearances due to an elbow injury, posting a 5.00 ERA and striking out 58 batters in 66 2/3 innings pitched.
However, his 2022 and 2023 seasons highlight his talent. Over 279 innings, he recorded a 3.48 ERA, 129 ERA+, 3.40 FIP, 1.151 WHIP, and 328 strikeouts.
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