The Philadelphia Phillies desperately needed a win on Monday to keep pace with the division leader Atlanta Braves. In dramatic fashion, Phillies left-hander Jesús Luzardo put on a masterclass of a performance. Luzardo shut out the Braves in all nine frames and left Phillies fans jubilant at the thought of seeing a potential postseason hero emerging before their very eyes. The energy surrounding the win and performance was unmistakable and also showed shades of a former Phillies legend.
Luzardo carved through the Braves' lineup with 12 strikeouts while only allowing three total base runners in a 1-0 nail biter. It was also the first career complete-game shutout of Luzardo's career. Taking down the Braves in the process just made it that much sweeter. If that feat sounds impressive, it's because it hasn't been achieved by the franchise in a long time. The last time a Phillies pitcher threw a complete-game shutout in a 1-0 victory was the late Roy Halladay ... in his perfect game back in 2010.
Any time your name is mentioned next to Halladay's, it's a day to remember. Halladay's perfect game was a microcosm of his status in Philadelphia, and that 2010 season remains as the last time a Phillies starter won the Cy Young Award.
In his perfect game, Halladay threw nine innings and struck out 11 with, obviously, no base runners allowed.
Last Phillies 1-0 CG shutout with 10+ K before Jesus Luzardo today:
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) September 7, 2026
Roy Halladay's perfect game in 2010
Last 1-0 CG shutout by a Phillies lefthander:
Cole Hamels in 2009
Last 1-0 CG shutout by a Phillie vs. the Braves:
Curt Schilling in 1998 pic.twitter.com/45GrBAvEJ7
Jesús Luzardo's Roy Halladay-like performance against Braves is a microcosm of his entire season
It required significant effort on Luzardo's part to get to this point. Entering the month of May, Luzardo had a 5.50 ERA and looked similar to the pitcher who was hit around early in the 2025 season. Since May 1, he owns a 2.24 ERA, the fourth-best in MLB and the best among all Phillies' starters. He transformed into one of the league's best starters and should even be in the conversation for a potential Game 1 starting role in the postseason.
You look up at his numbers now, and he has a 14-5 record, 2.87 ERA, and 221 strikeouts in 178 2/3 innings. It'll take an even grander finish to snatch the Cy Young away from Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski, but Luzardo has earned every bit of the spotlight in the Phillies' return to the postseason. The Phillies don't just have a 1-2 punch in the rotation; they have the best 1-2-3 punch in all of baseball the way things are going now.
Luzardo has lifted the hopes of Philadelphia as their hunt for Red October intensifies. The club has been able to count on Cristopher Sánchez and Zack Wheeler, but the Phillies could be getting the version of Luzardo that could take over ballgames with a month to go, similar to the way Halladay would over a decade ago.
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