Phillies High-Profile Acquisition Lifts Optimism to Start Regular Season

The Philadelphia Phillies didn’t have many pressing needs on their roster entering the offseason.

Virtually their entire lineup was being brought back in 2025 from a team that won 95 games and the National League East crown in 2024. The same goes for the pitching staff, where the only departures were Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez in the bullpen.

One spot that the team was looking to fill over the winter was in the starting rotation, where a No. 5 pitcher was needed.

Last year, several issues arose from that spot as Taijuan Walker struggled to the tune of a 7.10 ERA across 83.2 innings.

To take his spot in the rotation, the Phillies acquired Jesus Luzardo in a trade from the Miami Marlins.

It wasn’t cheap, as one of their top prospects, shortstop Starlyn Caba, was included in the trade package to acquire him. But, with World Series aspirations, it is a deal that the front office would make 10-out-of-10 times given the upside the talented lefty possesses.

In his first start as a member of the Phillies, it was on full display against the Washington Nationals.

Showcasing the best version of himself is the most encouraging sign for Philadelphia after their first series of the season, in the opinion of Tim Britton of The Athletic (subscription required).

Luzardo was excellent, pitching 5.0 innings and recording 11 strikeouts, allowing five hits and two walks. He was charged with two earned runs, getting things on track in a major way after an incredibly disappointing spring training.

During Grapefruit League play, he had a 9.49 ERA across 12.1 innings, surrendering five home runs. That will be something to keep an eye on throughout the season, as the Nationals hit a long ball off of him as well.

But outside of that, it was as good of a debut as the Phillies could have hoped for.

“In short, he pitched like he did for most of the ’23 season with the Marlins, when All-Star games and Cy Young votes appeared on his horizon. If that’s the version of Luzardo the Phillies get to round out their rotation, they can be even better than the 95-win outfit they were a season ago,” wrote Britton in the newest edition of the MLB power rankings.

Philadelphia was ranked No. 4 in the preseason power rankings and held steady in that spot in the first regular season edition, finishing in a tie with the Atlanta Braves.

Having a pitcher that talented as the No. 5 option in a rotation is unfair, as the Phillies look to have the best five-man group in baseball.

They are only going to get better in a few months when top prospect Andrew Painter is unleashed and added to the mix for the stretch run of the campaign.