The Philadelphia Phillies could not afford another collapse from Jesús Luzardo. Not after his disastrous start against Milwaukee. Not after the rotation spent weeks carrying an inconsistent offense. And not while the Phillies are trying to prove their resurgence under interim manager Don Mattingly is more than a temporary spark.
That is why Monday’s outing against the San Diego Padres felt much bigger than another regular-season start.
For the first time in weeks, Luzardo looked like the overpowering frontline arm Philadelphia believed it acquired. He attacked one of baseball’s deepest lineups with confidence, trusted his entire arsenal and completely changed the tone
Our editorial team includes several staff writers, each contributing their specialized knowledge to enhance the depth and breadth of our event and story coverage.