There was a silver lining to Jesús Luzardo’s meltdown last weekend: it prompted the Phillies to start addressing their bullpen concerns.
Luzardo endured the worst outing of his career on Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers, lasting just 3 1/3 innings while giving up 12 hits, three walks, and a career-high 12 earned runs. According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, Luzardo had allowed just 16 earned runs over his previous 11 starts combined. His ERA, which had been an impressive 2.15, shot up to 3.58, halting what had looked like a Cy Young-worthy season.
The Phillies attempted a comeback but ultimately fell 17-7. Despite the lopsided loss, Luzardo’s early exit — the first time this season he failed to complete at least five innings — exposed just how unprepared the bullpen was to handle extended innings. While no one wanted to see Luzardo take a beating on the mound, the outing may have served as a wake-up call for the organization to finally take steps to fix the bullpen.
Jesús Luzardo’s early departure brought the focus on the Phillies bullpen
The following day, Phillies manager Rob Thomson confirmed that Mick Abel would return to the starting rotation for the upcoming series in Toronto, while Taijuan Walker would shift back to the bullpen. While not the blockbuster move fans had hoped for during the offseason, MLB.com’s Paul Casella described it as the most sensible choice at this moment.
With no major acquisition ahead of the trade deadline, the Phillies will rely on in-house changes. The starting rotation has been one of the strongest in the league, though not every outing can be expected to be flawless. The bullpen, already lacking depth to begin the season, took a further hit when José Alvarado was sidelined for 80 games and the postseason. A big-name addition might not be happening yet, but for now, this reshuffle offers a practical solution.
Abel impressed in his MLB debut on May 18, facing off against standout rookie Paul Skenes. He threw six shutout innings, surrendering five hits with no walks and striking out nine in a 1-0 win. Initially seen as a spot start, Abel has since earned another opportunity to start, this time against the Blue Jays.
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Walker, meanwhile, has had an up-and-down tenure with the Phillies but has shown value this season, alternating between the rotation and bullpen. He currently holds a 2-4 record with a 3.53 ERA across 10 appearances. His work out of the bullpen has been particularly strong: over six innings of relief, he has posted a 3.00 ERA with nine strikeouts and held opponents to a .182 batting average.