Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Jesús Luzardo is taking another measured step forward in his recovery from a sore shoulder, offering the club a welcome bit of news as it prepares for a high-stakes series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Interim manager Don Mattingly said the All-Star pitcher continued playing catch at Citizens Bank Park and has stretched his throws out to 120 feet.
“Just continuing to throw and continues to feel good, still trending in the right direction for us,” Mattingly told 94 WIP’s Dave Uram.
Luzardo has not pitched since September 7 and was placed on the 15-day injured list with the move retroactive to September 12. The next milestone is getting back on a mound.
Mattingly declined to put a date on that session, stressing that the staff is evaluating the 27-year-old day by day.
“I think every day is kind of like, each one how he comes back tomorrow,” Mattingly said. “Obviously, we’re moving in the right direction.” He added that Luzardo has shown no setbacks so far. “He feels good every day. He hasn’t come back with any inflammation or lack of range, or anything like that. So it’s been good.”
The calendar leaves little room for delay. Luzardo is eligible to come off the injured list as early as September 27.
The Wild Card Series begins two days later, on September 29. Given how long he has been shut down, the Phillies may initially use him out of the bullpen if he is ready in time. Stretching him out to start would become more valuable the deeper the team advances.
Philadelphia sits at 86-70, one game behind the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres for the National League’s top Wild Card berth.
The upcoming three-game set with Milwaukee functions as a preview of a possible National League Division Series.
The Brewers own the best record in the league and are positioned to claim the No. 1 seed; the Phillies would need to finish as the No. 4 or No. 5 seed to land on that side of the bracket.
The Phillies’ remaining six games, all at home, will decide their October path. Their magic number to clinch a playoff spot stands at three.
A 3-3 homestand would be enough to eliminate the Arizona Diamondbacks, the last remaining Wild Card threat. As it stands, Philadelphia would open the postseason on the road against the Atlanta Braves, a team it went 4-9 against during the regular season.
Luzardo’s availability will shape how the roster is constructed and how far the rotation can be stretched.
For now, the encouraging reports from Mattingly give the Phillies reason to believe their left-hander can still be part of the conversation when the games begin to matter most.
