May 31, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo (44) reacts after being removed from the game against the Milwaukee Brewers in the fourth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Something happened at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday that had only happened four times before in the history of baseball.
If the Phillies have their druthers, it won't ever happen again to one of their pitchers.
Jesus Luzardo, who came into the game leading the majors in WAR and as the early frontrunner in the N.L. Cy Young race saw his season blown to smithereens statistically with not only the worst outing of his career, but of the worst pitching lines you will ever see.
Luzardo allowed 12 hits and 12 runs, all earned, in just 3 1/3 innings pitched and the Phillies lost by a touchdown and a field goal to the Milwaukee Brewers 17-7.
He becomes just the 12th pitcher to ever allow 12 or more earned runs in 3 1/3 innings or fewer in baseball history, and the first since Jordan Yamamoto for Miami in 2020.
Interestingly, this was the third time it happened to a Phillies pitcher. Don't worry, you've likely never heard of the other two:
But wait, it gets worse.
Those two Phillies pitchers had it happen in relief appearances. As did six of the other 10 instances in baseball history.
Luzardo became just the fifth starting pitcher to ever get shelled this badly in so short a period of time.
A further update here....
Jesus Luzardo is just the 5th starting pitcher to ever allow 12 earned runs in 3 1/3 innings or less. The rest were either longer starts, or relievers taking one on the chin.
The four previous starters:
- Masahiro Tanaka, New York Yankees (2019)
-… https://t.co/LT2XjHGceE
Woof.
Luzardo got behind 4-0 after just 13 pitches, giving up the first of two three-run homers he would yield to former Phillie Rhys Hoskins.
HOMERED IN HIS OLD STOMPING GROUNDS@rhyshoskins https://t.co/tBEOhdmP9X pic.twitter.com/SwnweBfeV2
He was able to stabilize over the next two innings but then came the fourth inning when it all went to hell.
It started with a "double" by Sal Frelick. Quotes are used to describe the hit because, it popped out of Nick Castellanos glove as he tried to make a running catch.
Here's the thing - it never should have been Castellanos' ball to begin with. The ball was hit more toward centerfield. It should have been Brandon Marsh's ball. He never got close to it because he eased up, nor did he call off Castellanos.
"(Nick) did not call the ball," manager Rob Thomson said. "Marsh has to keep going and call the ball. Call Casty off because he's got priority."
And has has been the case on several occasions this season, a misplay in the outfield leads to an ugly inning.
The next batter, Caleb Durbin, laid down a bunt. Luzardo fielded it and then threw wildly to first base, allowing the run to score, making it 5-0 Brewers. Then, Durbin tried to steal second, and everything went off the rails.
Rob Thomson was ejected after the third base umpire called a balk on Jesus Luzardo.
pic.twitter.com/rNJbKXYtKf
"That was my frustration because I've done this my whole career," Luzardo said. "I've never been called for a balk on it. I think they did a great job of not throwing me out, because in the heat of the moment I was probably a little hot-headed, but I just wanted an explanation as to what was the balk. ... Basically I got a couple different answers and that's what frustrated me the most. They said I stopped at the top of my delivery, which I didn't. And the call coming from third base is what I think frustrated me the most. If it was the first base umpire, I'd understand it a little more. But it is what it is and not everyone's perfect.
"That frustration kind of caused me to unravel a little bit more, as opposed to kind of step back and just cool myself a little bit and then get back to it."
Luzardo walked the next two hitters, gave up RBI singles to Jackson Chourio and Williams Contreras, and then, after getting Christian Yelich to pop out, he faced Hoskins again and... well..
DOUBLE DINGER DAY FOR @rhyshoskins 💣💣 https://t.co/W7befXwy6h pic.twitter.com/Ukafmdi5VR
He would give up one more hit - a double to .095-hitting Daz Cameron, before finally getting pulled.
And there's a reason the Phillies let him wear such a terrible outing and not got him out of the game sooner. They were trying to get through the fourth inning because of bullpen issues.
There are a lot of people unhappy the Phillies waited so long to get Luzardo out of the game but consider the following:
1. They don't want to use Kerkering/Strahm/Romano in a blowout.
2. Lazar and Hernandez both pitched multiple innings yesterday and Banks also pitched, so…
Ultimately, they had to burn Banks anyway because Jose Ruiz got torched for five runs on five hits in his one inning of work. But they avoided everyone else.
But Luzardo saw his ERA climb from 2.15 to 3.58 in just one start.
"Statistics matter," Thomson said. "You want your guys to have great years, but at some point, too, you've got to battle through things and you got to do it for your teammates, so you got to strike that balance."
Balance or not, Luzardo - and the Phillies - ended up taking it on the chin Saturday.
