Heading into Game 1 of their Wild Card Round series against the Atlanta Braves , the Philadelphia Phillies didn't have a clear-cut plan for what they were going to do on the mound.
Jesus Luzardo was announced as the starter, but his workload was unknown. After throwing a complete-game shutout against the Braves on Sept. 7, the talented lefty was scratched from his next start on Sept. 12 against Atlanta with shoulder stiffness.
He ended up landing on the injured list and didn't make his return to the mound until the regular season finale on Sept. 27. Luzardo threw only four pitches in that inning of work, leaving a lot of question marks about how much he would throw in Game 1.
It could have been some gamesmanship from interim manager Don Mattingly, who didn't offer much insight either. Essentially, they would ride Luzardo until they couldn't anymore, and that turned out to be a lot deeper into the game than anyone would have guessed.
Sep 29, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesus Luzardo (44) throws a pitch against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning during game one of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
When the team needed him most, making his first start in 22 days, Luzardo stepped up big time . He ended up throwing a lot more than originally predicted, giving the Phillies strong innings and 77 pitches.
There were some bouts of wildness, struggling to find the strike zone and hitting two batters, but he consistently worked out of trouble. He surrendered only three hits and issued one walk to go along with six strikeouts.
Luzardo went toe-to-toe with Chris Sale , who dominated Philadelphia in four starts during the regular season. After giving up a run in the first inning, Sale didn't allow another run until the top of the seventh, with the two runners Didier Fuentes inherited scoring.
The Phillies could not have asked for a better outing from Luzardo; unfortunately, it didn't result in a victory. Their bullpen, which has been an issue all season, struggled again .
Mattingly went to Alex McFarlane in the sixth inning, and he surrendered a run when Ozzie Albies hit a ball to deep center field that Derek Hill leapt for but jumped too high, and the ball hit him in the wrist.
Closer Jhoan Duran was called upon to pitch in an unprecedented decision, replacing McFarlane in the seventh inning. He worked quickly in that frame and retired the first two outs of the eighth inning before running into trouble.
Michael Harris hit a single, and Albies was hit by a pitch before Alex Riley took him deep for a go-ahead and game-winning three-run home run . It was an incredibly disappointing turn of events after how well Luzardo pitched, giving the team a real opportunity to win the game, but they weren't able to seal the deal.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/phillies/onsi as Jesus Luzardo Gave Phillies Everything They Expected and More .
