The Philadelphia Phillies are staring down a magic number of two, with just four games left on their schedule. Talk about high stakes! They’re facing one game against the Milwaukee Brewers and three against the Tampa Bay Rays, and a loss by either the Arizona Diamondbacks or San Diego Padres could drop that magic number to just one. Getting into the MLB postseason looks super likely for them right now, but there’s this one massive concern for October that could flip everything.
Luzardo’s Health Is the Whole Game Changer, Seriously
ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, talking with a rival MLB executive, totally highlighted it: the Phillies’ postseason hopes might actually hinge on one guy, Jesus Luzardo. This left-hander, dude, “changes everything” for them, according to Gonzalez. And the executive totally backs it up. This wasn’t just some casual chat, either. That executive was answering which teams MLB insiders thought could be the most dangerous in October. And his answer? The Phillies, but *only* if Luzardo is healthy. He put it like this: “‘If he’s healthy,’ a rival front office executive said, ‘they’re my answer.’ If not, he added, the Brewers are the better, more well-rounded team. Luzardo is that important.” That’s a strong take! If he’s out, it sounds like their upside is totally capped, even if they’d still be in good shape.
The Rotation’s Potential vs. Their Reality
Picture this: Luzardo is healthy and rolling alongside Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler, a “resurgent” Aaron Nola, and a “bouncing-back” Andrew Painter. That starting rotation has some serious potential to dominate, you know? Like, it could make a major difference in October. We’re talking about a fully healthy rotation that could go head-to-head with any team in baseball, maybe even outplay every single rotation, including the Los Angeles Dodgers. That’s big. But here’s the kicker: their offense might be shaky, and the bullpen is questionable outside of Jhoan Duran and Alex McFarlane lately. So, if Luzardo isn’t there, a rival executive believes they won’t be a “serious contender.” Gonzalez just flat-out stated it: “He changes everything.” His presence completely shifts how they’d even approach winning a series.
But yeah, it’s not all sunshine and domination. Luzardo is currently questionable because of shoulder inflammation. So, for the Phillies to make a deep run in the postseason, it all comes down to whether that shoulder issue clears up ASAP. They’ve got those final four games to seal the deal and then, all eyes will be on Luzardo’s arm to see if they can truly unleash their full potential in October. It’s gonna be wild to watch!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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