It’s official, Jesús Luzardo will be with the Philadelphia Phillies for another five seasons.
News broke Monday evening that the Phillies had reached an agreement with Luzardo, extending his current contract past 2026. Luzardo will play this season under the agreed upon terms from the arbitration agreement settled prior to Spring Training.
Luzardo joined the Phillies last offseason via a trade with in-division rivals, the Miami Marlins. In his first season with the club, the dominant left-hander tossed 183.2 innings in 32 starts. He struck out 216 batters in his inaugural season with the Phillies, which is part of the reason the organization felt they needed to give him an extension before his current deal expired.
This move locks up four of the five members of the Phillies starting rotation for the foreseeable future. Zack Wheeler is under contract through 2027. Cristopher Sanchez’s new deal keeps him in Philly through 2030. Aaron Nola will also finish his current contract after the 2030 season.
With Andrew Painter set to make his big league debut in 2026, it is fair to say the Phillies’ starting rotation should be set for the next two seasons. Most teams would be lucky to say they have three starting pitchers locked in for the next several years. The Phillies can confidently say they have a full five-man group. Even in a pinch, Taijuan Walker still can serve as a quality starter when called upon. His deal expires at the end of this upcoming season.
The depth of starting pitching at the big league level is one that rival clubs dream of having. Outside the Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners, the Phillies’ group certainly stands above the rest in Major League Baseball.
The structure of the Philadelphia Phillies has been and will continue to be based on their powerful starting rotation.
While stars like Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber might get more attention, the group that will lead the Phillies back to the postseason will take their cues on the mound.
Late last season the Phillies lost a potential Cy Young candidate in Wheeler. Without blinking, the rest of their group stepped right up without decline. A loss of this caliber would have crippled most other teams and their quest for a World Series. However, the Phillies did not skip a beat.
When Wheeler rejoins the rotation (likely in May), the Phillies will have a 1-5 of Sanchez, Wheeler, Luzardo, Nola and Painter. This group will provide them with a chance to repeat as NL East division champions for the third straight season.
A strong debut for Luzardo in 2026, paired with a new contract, will create a level of expectation in Philadelphia. The fans got used to an All-Star caliber arm from their new lefty just a season ago. Moving forward, the Philly faithful will now look to Luzardo to become an ace.
Despite being in a rotation with two of the best arms in the game, there is no doubt that Luzardo is just as capable of calling himself the team’s number one. Building off a career year in 2025, a similar performance would help launch him into the top rankings among his peers.
