ATLANTA — The Philadelphia Phillies are giving Jesús Luzardo a brief opening assignment against Chris Sale and the Atlanta Braves as their National League Wild Card Series begins Tuesday at Truist Park.
Luzardo is returning from left shoulder inflammation and is expected to serve as an opener rather than handle a conventional starter’s workload. He pitched one inning Sunday against Tampa Bay after missing roughly three weeks, leaving Philadelphia to plan for substantial work from the rest of its pitching staff.
Before the injury, Luzardo had delivered one of his strongest performances against this same opponent. He shut out Atlanta on Sept. 7, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out 12. Tuesday presents a different situation: the Phillies need outs from a pitcher still rebuilding his workload, rather than a repeat of that complete game.
Luzardo finished the regular season 14–5 with a 2.86 ERA, striking out 221 in 179⅔ innings. Sale brings a 2.16 ERA across 162⅔ innings into the opener. The matchup gives Philadelphia an immediate test against a left-hander who has consistently limited opposing offenses.
Philadelphia went 4–9 against Atlanta during the regular season, including 2–4 on the road. The Phillies also enter the series without Luis Arraez on their roster after a left ankle sprain.
The postseason appearance follows a difficult route. Philadelphia opened 9–19, replaced Rob Thomson with interim manager Don Mattingly and recovered to finish 88–74. It is the club’s fifth consecutive trip to the playoffs, although a 10–14 September made the final push uncomfortable.
Kyle Schwarber finished tied for the major league lead with 45 home runs, providing an established power threat as the Phillies try to generate enough offense behind an unconventional pitching plan.
For Sale, the opener offers his first postseason start for Atlanta. He previously pitched in the playoffs with Boston, most recently in 2021. The scheduled 2 p.m. Eastern start begins a short series in which Philadelphia must balance Luzardo’s availability with the pitching needed to get through the remaining innings.
Sources: Phillies; Field Level Media — Braves–Phillies preview.
Related: MLB postseason viewing guide.
