Philly Leader

Jesús Luzardo showcased a masterful performance for the Philadelphia Phillies in his debut against the Washington Nationals on Saturday at Nationals Park, culminating in an 11-6 victory. Luzardo exited the mound after the fifth inning, having notched 11 strikeouts, a record that ties him with Hall of Famer Jim Bunning for the second-most strikeouts in a Phillies debut.

“Just excited to finish off strong,” Luzardo said post-game. His debut performance included allowing two runs over five innings and receiving crucial support from Bryson Stott, Kyle Schwarber, and Brandon Marsh, who each hit home runs.

Bryson Stott praised, “He’s awesome. He fits right in. He’s electric. Obviously, we saw him a lot [when he was with the Marlins]. It’s even more electric when he’s striking out 11 from a different team and not us.”

Luzardo joined the Phillies rotation, featuring alongside pitchers like Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, following a trade with the Miami Marlins in exchange for prospects Starlyn Caba and Emaarion Boyd. Injuries had limited his previous season, but according to Phillies manager Rob Thomson, Luzardo started strong, saying, “He was great. He threw strikes, he went after people."

Luzardo's fastball reached an average of 96.9 mph, a notable increase from his previous season. He threw multiple pitches over 97.5 mph Saturday, compared to just a few the season before.

His arsenal on display in D.C. also included a new pitch — the sweeper — which he used effectively against Nationals hitters. Luzardo was successful in striking out five Nationals players each with his slider and sweeper. “We go more based off how it’s feeling today,” Luzardo remarked, as he spoke on adapting his game for different hitter profiles.

Nats manager Dave Martinez acknowledged the challenge his team faced against Luzardo's new pitch, “It was good, especially against lefties. They had a tough time picking it up. It was kind of late. But it was a good pitch.”

Having begun experimenting with the sweeper only recently during spring training, Luzardo's confidence in the pitch has grown over time. Leading into Sunday, his debut left the Phillies in a commanding position to sweep the series against Washington.