The Philadelphia Phillies ended a five-game losing streak with a 10-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. After scoring eight runs in the previous 37 innings, Phillies hitters finally sprung to life by notching 12 hits and 10 runs while going 7-for-13 with runners in scoring position.
While the team's offensive explosion generated the majority of the post-game headlines, Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo played the role of stopper by spinning another six-inning gem.
It hasn't taken long for Luzardo to establish himself as the Phillies' No. 2 starter. After the recent tailspin, Luzardo played the role of stopper by allowing three hits and two unearned runs, while striking out five and walking three in a much-needed Phillies victory. Acquired by the Phillies last December in a four-player swap with the Miami Marlins, Luzardo is now 3-0 with a 1.73 ERA and 1.07 WHIP following Saturday's victory.
Trading for Jesús Luzardo a massive win for Phillies while Cubs' decision looks regrettable
The Phillies front office has faced its fair share of criticism over the last two offseasons by taking a more value-based approach to signing free agents. While the jury is still out on Max Kepler, Joe Ross and Jordan Romano's first seasons in a Phillies uniform, the trade for Luzardo looks to be the biggest steal of the offseason.
But according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the Chicago Cubs had a deal in place to acquire Luzardo before being scared off by his medical records (subscription required).
"Concerns over Luzardo’s back and elbow made the Cubs reluctant to pay the agreed-upon acquisition cost," explained Rosenthal. "Details of the package the Marlins would have received are not known."
The Cubs passing on Luzardo is certainly not the first time a team has shown reluctance to pull the trigger on a trade or free agent signing based on a player's medical history. That scenario played out this offseason when the Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles walked away from signing former Phillies right-hander Jeff Hoffman after his pitching shoulder's health produced some red flags. But according to Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, opinions regarding a player's injury risk can differ among rival organizations.
“I’ve had plenty of players where one club hasn’t taken a player because of medicals and another club has, and the player is fine," said Dombrowski, per Rosenthal." Everybody has their own standards, how they read certain injuries."
That being said, Luzardo's 2024 season was cut short after a combination of elbow issues and a lumbar strain in his back resulted in the southpaw only making 12 starts for the Marlins last year. While concerning, the Phillies medical staff didn't share the Cubs' opinion on Luzardo's long-term health.
So far, the risk has paid off, with Luzardo looking like the missing piece in a Phillies starting rotation that was already considered one of the best in MLB. If Luzardo continues to pitch the way he has through his first six starts, the Cubs' assessment of the southpaw's health will look like an epic miscalculation.