Jesús Luzardo injury: Phillies starter lands on IL amid tight NL East race

The Philadelphia Phillies have suffered a major blow ahead of the postseason. Left-hander Jesús Luzardo has been placed on the injured list Tuesday, three days after he was scratched from a start with shoulder stiffness, the team announced Tuesday An MRI revealed no structural damage, though Luzardo doesn’t feel as good as hoped with his recovery.

LHP Kyle Backhus was recalled to take Luzardo’s roster spot.

“I told them I don’t feel comfortable throwing,” Luzardo said Tuesday afternoon (via The Athletic). “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.”

By backdating the 15-day IL stint the maximum three days, Luzardo is eligible to return next Saturday, Sept. 26, though it is unclear if he will be ready for the postseason. Mattingly said on Tuesday that they are not ruling him out for a playoff start. The shoulder issue popped up after Luzardo’s brilliant two-hit shutout against the Atlanta Braves last week, during which he struck out 12 and threw 109 pitches.

“Ideally, the timeline does work out that way,” Luzardo said of starting in the playoffs. “Obviously, we have to see where I’m at throwing-wise. But the plan is to be ready to go for October. And yeah, I feel fully confident.

“It’s been a long year. I’ve thrown a lot of pitches. Three weeks off the mound or without being on the mound might be a little rusty, you would think. But I’m confident in myself in my preparation and I know that we’re gonna do all the work necessary to be ready to go that first time I touch the mound.”

The Phillies enter play Tuesday one game up on the third wild-card spot and 3 ½ games up on a postseason berth in general. The Wild Card Series will begin Tuesday, Sept. 29, meaning Luzardo will go at least 21 days between starts unless the Phillies let him pitch during the regular season’s final week. They also could consider using him as a reliever in the Wild Card Series.

Philadelphia’s strength is its rotation, with Luzardo joining Cristopher Sánchez and Zack Wheeler to form the game’s most dominant 1-2-3 punch. Aaron Nola has had a resurgence the last few weeks, though he is not Luzardo, who has been one of the game’s best pitchers the last few months. If Luzardo is unable to start in the Wild Card Series, the step down to Nola is significant.

Luzardo, 29 in two weeks, ranks sixth among all pitchers in WAR. He is in the first year of a five-year, $135 million extension.