Sep 24, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesœs Luzardo (44) warms up before action against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher
PHILADELPHIA — In addition to hiring a new bench coach, the Phillies will have to decide this offseason how to proceed with the likes of J.T. Realmuto, Kyle Schwarber, Ranger Suárez, Harrison Bader and José Alvarado, all of whom could potentially reach free agency.
Down the line, though, trying to lock up lefty Jesús Luzardo might be something worth considering. In his first season with the Phillies, Luzardo logged a career-high 183 2/3 innings pitched, while posting a 3.92 ERA and 2.90 FIP. He also shined during the four-game NLDS, posting a 2.35 ERA across 7 2/3 innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers that were split between starting and relieving.
Luzardo has one remaining arbitration year, but during Dave Dombrowski's year-end press conference Thursday, Phillies Nation's Destiny Lugardo asked the president of baseball operations if signing the lefty to an extension could be something that's prioritized this offseason.
"Well we haven't talked about that as of yet, but I'd love to have Jesús Luzardo be part of our organization for years to come. He's a really good pitcher," Dombrowski said.
"But we haven't tackled that as of yet. But he's a guy that we really like."
What's interesting is this is a very similar answer to what Dombrowski gave about Zack Wheeler in the 2023 year-end press conference, with the ace righty approaching his contract season.
“Without getting into anything — because just we haven’t had these type of things [conversations] — we would hope to have Zack Wheeler in our organization for years to come,” Dombrowski said in October of 2023.
“He’s been tremendous since he’s been here, and we look at him as a real stalwart of our organization,” Dombrowski continued. “So we would hope that he would be here for a long time.”
The Phillies and Wheeler wound up working out a three-year, $126 million extension with the righty prior to his contract year, a pact that will keep him in red pinstripes through the 2027 campaign.
Obviously, Luzardo does not have the same accomplishments as Wheeler. Few pitchers in modern MLB history do. But there's an argument for trying to lock Luzardo up this offseason, particularly if you think there's a chance he'll be even better in 2026.
The Phillies don't sound ready to quit J.T. Realmuto, but will they re-sign him?
[image or embed]— Tim Kelly (@timkellysports.bsky.social) October 17, 2025 at 8:55 AM
It is possible that Luzardo — who is represented by MVP Sports Group — will choose to play out his contract year and hit the open market next offseason. It's also possible that at the very least he waits to see how the free agencies of two fellow lefties in Ranger Suárez and Framber Valdez play out this offseason, because that could reset the market for southpaws.
At the same time, Luzardo made just 12 starts in 2024 — his final season with the Miami Marlins — as he dealt with left elbow tightness and then a lumbar stress reaction. Before the Phillies acquired Luzardo, the Chicago Cubs actually "backed out" of a deal to trade for the lefty following "a review of his medical records," per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Particularly since Luzardo hasn't had a major payday yet, he might be inclined to strike while the iron is hot, aware of how quickly your stock can sink.
That's not to say that Luzardo, 28, would accept something like the comically team-friendly four-year/$22 million contract extension the Phillies signed Cristopher Sánchez to in June of 2024, a pact that includes a $14 million club option for 2029 and a $15 million club option for 2030.
But something like a four-year/$70.4 million deal — that would see him making the $10.4 million in 2026 he's projected to in his final year of arbitration, and then $20 million in each of the next three seasons — would at least be worth making Luzardo say no to. Such a pact could also include club options with a high buyout for an additional season or two.
