It has been 268 days since Miami Marlins pitcher Jesús Luzardo stepped off the mound in Nationals Park. Displaying clear amounts of discomfort, Jesús exited the game after putting in five innings of work.
With a stress reaction in his lower back, Luzardo found himself unable to pitch, remaining on the injured list for the remainder of the 2024 season. Now, an off-season and a new team later, Luzardo will return to that same mound in Nationals Park, ready to move on.
“I took time off, and the doctors all said the same thing: These things actually heal well, and once it happens once, it usually doesn’t happen again,” said Luzardo in a press conference in December. “It’s more of just letting it calm down, letting it heal itself.”
Placed between starting pitchers Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola in the Philadelphia Phillies’ rotation, Luzardo will start the second game of his new team’s season following a wild Opening Day victory on Thursday.
Luzardo Looking for a Fresh Start in Philly
Saturday will mark Luzardo’s 5th start at Nationals Park for the Nationals’ former 3rd-round draft pick. Drafted in 2016, Luzardo was traded to the (then) Oakland Athletics in a package for Sean Doolittle and former Phillies’ pitcher Ryan Madson. Later, in 2021, Luzardo returned to the National League East as the Marlins acquired him for Starling Marte.
Luzardo, who had also dealt with a minor elbow injury earlier in the 2024 season, pitched for a 5.00 ERA in 12 starts for the Marlins. Most notably, his strikeout rate plummeted, likely due to the irritation he was contending with for most of his shortened season. Now, with a full and healthy Spring Training of preparation behind him, Luzardo will look to return to his former self, having pitched an ERA in the mid-to-lower 3.00s in 2022 and 2023.
Kyle Schwarber will lead off for the Phillies
With right-hander Jake Irvin on the mound for the Nationals, manager Rob Thomson will opt to lead with designated hitter Kyle Schwarber on Saturday.
Schwarber went 2-for-4 on Thursday with two runs scored, a walk, and a solo home run out of the cleanup spot. Trea Turner, who went 0-for-4 with a walk on Opening Day, will likely bat in the two-hole with the remaining lineup looking very similar to its 2024 counterpart.
Alec Bohm’s two-run double in the top of the 10th inning gave the Phillies the lead as the third baseman was 2-for-5 on the day.
How to Watch
The first pitch for Saturday afternoon’s ball game is scheduled for 4:05 P.M. Fans can tune in on NBC Sports Philadelphia+ or listen to the radio broadcast on 94.1 WIP.
Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
