Jesus Luzardo and the Phillies rotation for the NL Wild Card series against the Braves

Jesús Luzardo is starting Game 1 against the Braves on Tuesday afternoon. It’s the only call the Phillies have after Zack Wheeler burned his start Sunday dragging this team into the postseason. The alternative would have been another opener after the Phillies gave up 30 runs in three of those games while Luzardo was hurt.

The good news is Jesus Luzardo looked ready. He came off the injured list before the regular-season finale and needed just four pitches to get through the eighth inning against Tampa Bay, with his fastball touching 97.

It was his first appearance since Sept. 7 after inflammation in his left shoulder, and there wasn’t a hint of rust.

Starting the series with Zeus ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/7QHW0zaFT6

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 29, 2026

How the Phillies Ended Up Here

None of this was the plan. Wheeler was lined up to open the postseason until the Phillies nearly blew a four-game lead over Arizona with five games to play. Once that happened, Wheeler had to pitch the finale just to get them in, and Game 1 became a problem the Phillies had to solve on the fly.

Going back to an opener was never a real option. Giving up 10 runs a game is how you get swept in a best of three, and the Phillies saw firsthand what their pitching looked like without Jesus Luzardo in the rotation.

Handing him the ball isn’t about liking the matchup. It’s about not having anything better.

Obviously, Being The Only Option Doesn’t Mean It’s A Bad One

The shoulder injury made it easy to forget the season Jesus Luzardo had. He went 14-5 with a 2.86 ERA in 30 appearances, threw 179.2 innings, struck out 221 and posted a 1.07 WHIP. That’s a front-line starter, and the Phillies are lucky their only option happens to be one of the best arms in the rotation.

The splits help too. Luzardo went 5-1 with a 2.76 ERA in day games, and he was 9-0 with a 1.76 ERA on the road. Game 1 is a 2 p.m. start at Truist Park. The Phillies backed into this decision, but the setting couldn’t fit him much better.

How Long Is The Leash?

The Phillies say that Jesus Luzardo isn’t going deep Tuesday because he hasn’t started in more than three weeks and has thrown one inning in that time, but I don’t see how you pull him in Game 1 against Chris Sale if they find themselves in a pitching duel.

It’s unclear how many pitches he’ll get, and two or three sharp innings would be a good outcome but that should be heavily reliant on if the lineup can get to Sale.

The Plan After Luzardo

Once Luzardo is done, Andrew Painter is next.

Mattingly said the rookie will be available out of the bullpen in Game 1, which gives the Phillies real length behind a starter who again, they say won’t last long. It also keeps the rest of the rotation where it needs to be. Cristopher Sánchez is scheduled to start Game 2, and Aaron Nola is likely to go in Game 3 if the series gets there.

That’s about as good as this could have lined up given the circumstances. Sánchez has been the most dependable starter on this staff all year, so the Phillies are still in good shape even if Game 1 gets away from them. Nola has pitched big games in Atlanta before and knows that building in October.

The biggest question mark is Wheeler. It’s still unclear whether he’ll be able to pitch at all in this series after throwing Sunday. If he’s available for an inning or two in a Game 3, that swings things heavily in the Phillies’ favor, but nobody should count on it yet.

It Starts Today.

The Phillies put themselves in this spot, and now Luzardo has to get them out of it. He doesn’t need to be a hero.

He needs to come out sharp, get the ball to Painter with the Phillies in the game and give an offense that finally showed life on Sunday a real shot at Chris Sale. He’s been at his best in the afternoon and on the road all season, and Tuesday is both.

Phillies Game 1 Lineup

Let's ring it pic.twitter.com/e8gt0NN7HU

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 29, 2026

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