One of the Philadelphia Phillies’ top priorities heading into the offseason was strengthening the back end of their starting rotation.
Even with a solid group that included Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sánchez, and Ranger Suárez — plus top prospect Andrew Painter nearing a big-league debut — the team felt it was necessary to add another starter after Taijuan Walker’s disappointing 2024 season.
Their solution was to trade for Jesús Luzardo, acquiring the left-hander from their NL East rivals, the Miami Marlins.
The deal wasn’t without cost. The Phillies sent two notable prospects — shortstop Starlyn Caba and outfielder Emaarion Boyd — to Miami. The move raised eyebrows, especially given Caba’s high prospect ranking, and some questioned whether Philadelphia might regret parting with him.
However, with another highly regarded prospect, Aidan Miller, showing promise at shortstop, the Phillies felt they could afford to make the trade. So far, Luzardo has delivered exceptional results, emerging as a legitimate NL Cy Young candidate and offering major value from the mound. Thanks to some key coaching tweaks to his pitch mix and sequencing, the left-hander has elevated his game to a new level. Through his first nine starts, Luzardo posted a 4-0 record with a 2.00 ERA, logging 54 innings and racking up 57 strikeouts. His command and ability to limit damage have stood out, helping him lead all MLB pitchers with a 2.5 WAR. His hot start has even earned him a spot in franchise history. As reported by Matt Gelb of The Athletic, Luzardo became the first Phillies pitcher since Aaron Harang in 2015 (1.82 ERA) — and the first lefty since David West in 1994 (1.87 ERA) — to post a sub-2.00 ERA through his first nine outings. He’s been everything the Phillies could have hoped for — and more. While Luzardo always had the talent, past injuries and inconsistency held him back. Neither issue has surfaced in Philadelphia, where the coaching staff has played a pivotal role in unlocking his full potential.
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