It sure is a fun time to be a Philadelphia Phillies fan right now with their MLB-best 34-19 record. The same can be said about their players, especially rising star Jesús Luzardo. The 27-year-old left-hander was acquired from the Miami Marlins in a trade last December, which many fans classified as a steal for the Phillies.
Bryce Harper shared the same belief in some recent comments about Luzardo.
Luzardo has rewarded the Phillies' belief in him with a 5-0 record and 2.15 ERA across 11 starts, giving him MLB's eighth-best ERA. In Sunday's start against the Athletics, he worked around early trouble versus his former team to the tune of three earned runs and 10 strikeouts over seven strong innings.
Bryce Harper knows Jesús Luzardo was the steal of the MLB offseason
Harper had loads of praise for his new ace after Luzardo's recent start in Colorado: "I've said it a million times, I'm glad he's on our team. We've faced him multiple times when he was in Miami and it was always a tough game for us".
That's the truth, as Luzardo was 3-1 with a 3.25 ERA in six starts against the Phillies. He also had Harper's number, limiting him to a 1-for-12 clip with seven strikeouts. It's pretty cool that Harper has always admired Luzardo from afar, because as a veteran of the game, Harper knows a talented player when he sees one.
Jesús Luzardo, K'ing the Side in the 6th.
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 25, 2025
8Ks thru 6 pic.twitter.com/yGCLgzUmYB
Harper further handed out praise for Luzardo's baseball IQ and strong demeanor, saying, "I can't say enough how smart he is. He's always thinking about what he needs to do". He points out a moment where Luzardo picked a Colorado Rockie off first base after perfectly reading the runner.
When you look at the prospect package the Phillies sent to the Marlins for Luzardo, it makes them look even more like bandits. Both shortstop Starlyn Caba and outfielder Emaarion Boyd are struggling early on in Miami's farm system. The headliner was 19-year-old Caba, who, according to MLB Pipeline, was the Phillies' fifth-ranked prospect at the time.
Caba is hitting just .200 in 11 games at Low-A, with that not being far from his .228 average in the Philles' system in 2024. He is far more well known for his 70-grade glove. Boyd is performing slightly better at High-A with his .261 average and 21 stolen bases, though he is also far away from contributing to an MLB roster.
If Luzardo keeps up his strong start as expected, he's sure to garner some league-wide recognition. He is as solid a choice as any to win the National League Comeback Player of the Year Award after appearing in just 12 games in 2024 due to a series of injuries impacting his elbow and back. Now healthy and impressing for the Phillies, Luzardo is one of the easiest picks to represent the Phillies at this year's All-Star Game in Atlanta.