The Philadelphia Phillies created arguably the best starting rotation in baseball when they executed their Sunday morning trade for left-hander Jesús Luzardo. Swiping the 27-year-old from the division rival Miami Marlins for a pair of Top 30 prospects, Starlyn Caba (No. 4) and Emaarion Boyd (No. 23), is a huge get for Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and the front office.
Or at least it will be a huge get if Luzardo's health issues are behind him. From all accounts, it sounds like he'll be ready to go for Opening Day when he'll help make up one of the best five-man rotations in Major League Baseball.
Jesús Luzardo injury history: Phillies not scared off by past health problems
The good news is that Luzardo doesn't have an extensive history of injuries. Before 2024, he had only been on the injured list twice since making his MLB debut in 2019 with the Athletics. He fractured his left hand in 2021, which isn't an injury worth worrying about. He also missed two and a half months in 2022 with a left forearm strain.
Luzardo was fully healthy in 2023, going 10-10 in 32 starts with a 3.58 ERA and 10.48 K/9 over 178 2/3 innings. You may recall that he started Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against the Phillies.
This past season wasn't as smooth for the former Washington Nationals third-round pick. After originally going on the 15-day IL with tightness in his left elbow, he landed on the 60-day IL with a lumbar stress reaction in mid-June and missed the rest of the season. Luzardo only made 12 starts in 2024, posting a 5.00 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 66 2/3 innings.
According to MLB.com's Christina De Nicola, Luzardo reported that he's fully healthy and is all systems go for Opening Day this past week at a Marlins holiday event.
"(I've) been able to go through my normal offseason progression: throwing, running, starting to get off the mound," Luzardo said, per Nicola. "Feeling really good (with my) elbow, back, whole body, and just really gearing up for Spring Training and eyeing down that Opening Day to be 100% full-go, which for now, everything feels really good, and we are full-go."
Obviously, there was nothing in his medicals to deter the Phillies from dealing for the lefty and bolstering their starting rotation to compete at the top of the National League in 2025.