Manager Rob Thomson kept the decision close to the vest but revealed it on Saturday.
PHILADELPHIA - Jesus Luzardo will start Game 2 of the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday, Phillies manager Rob Thomson announced before Game 1 on Saturday.
The decision on who starts Game 2 has long-term ramifications as Luzardo will likely then get the start in a potential win-or-go home Game 5 next Saturday.
Luzardo finished his first season as a Phillie with a 15-7 record and 3.92 ERA. He finished the year with seven shutout innings and 10 strikeouts against the Miami Marlins then followed it up with nine strikeouts in three shutout innings in the intra-squad scrimmage on Wednesday.
Luzardo has an 0-2 record and 6.14 ERA in four postseason appearances, including three starts - one coming in 2023 against the Phillies while he was a member of the Miami Marlins.
“He’s just pitched so well the last month,” said Thomson. “He had pitched prior to Ranger (Suarez) during the regular season. It just made the most sense to me. We’ll have Ranger available out of the pen tonight. We’ll have (Aaron) Nola available if there’s an emergency.
Suarez and Nola were the other options.
Suarez is 12-8 with a 3.20 ERA this season. He was hit on the thigh by a line drive in his last start but the injury wasn’t serious, even though he didn’t pitch in the intrasquad scrimmage. In his postseason career spanning 10 games - including eight starts - Suarez has a 3-1 record, 1.43 ERA and saved the National League championship Series-clinching game in 2022.
Thomson said Suarez will be available in relief in Game 1.
“Really comfortable with our leverage guys at the end, starting in the sixth inning, so it probably will be early, it could be an extra-inning game, that type of thing, for tonight,” said Thomson.
Nola has essentially been the Phillies’ No. 2 starter in the last three postseasons but in an injury-plagued 2025 posted a 5-10 record and 6.01.
But the longest-tenured Phillie does have the trust of Thomason. Nola did finish strong, throwing eight innings of one-run ball in his final start of the season against the Minnesota Twins last Friday.
Nola has a 5-4 record with a 4.02 ERA in 10 postseason starts.
“Well, he could be length,” said Thomson. “He could be starting. Because I’m not announcing a Game 3 starter until after Monday’s game, just to see how it all plays out.”
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Category: General Sports
