The Philadelphia Phillies are placing Jesús Luzardo on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation.
The Phillies skipped his last start, and on Monday he was getting treatment in hopes of playing catch on Tuesday. However, he told the team he was not comfortable throwing and is going on the injured list. The timing of the injury is the biggest concern.
“I told them I don’t feel comfortable throwing,” Luzardo said Tuesday, per The Athletic's Matt Gelb. “I know where we’re at. I know it’s an important part of the season. I want to be out there for the guys. But I feel like I’d be doing a disservice to them if I’m not at my best.”
The Phillies have not clinched a postseason berth, but their chances of making the postseason are very high. Luzardo was expected to be a key member of their rotation in October, but now he is up against the clock. He is eligible to return on the final day of the regular season, but pitching in that game could rule him out of starting a game in the Wild Card round.
The Phillies could use Luzardo as a reliever in Game 162 to get him back into a game, and then set him up for a long relief outing or a start in the first round. However, this is assuming that Luzardo is ready to go when he is eligible to come off the injured list.
Luzardo is confident he will be back and be ready for the postseason.
“I say guaranteed, like, in my mind I can say I will,” Luzardo said. “I can’t say a hundred percent: ‘Oh, yeah, I’m going to start for this team.’ But that’s the goal, and I feel confident that I can make that happen.”
According to Gelb, the Phillies will have a bullpen day every fifth day until October. When the postseason starts, they will have to decide whether Luzardo is ready to pitch in the Wild Card round or if they will have to try to advance without him. He has a 2.87 ERA this season and was named an All-Star for the first time this year.