Top star has quickly won over Philadelphia with his incredible start to the 2025 season. After being acquired from the Miami Marlins in the offseason, he hasn’t just matched his previous standards — he’s exceeded them. He delivered six strong innings against the Chicago Cubs, striking out five while allowing just three hits, three walks, and two unearned runs. His ERA has now dropped to 1.73, ranking among the 10 best in baseball.
However, according to Phillies manager Rob Thomson, you wouldn’t guess how competitive top star is just by meeting him. “He’s one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet — until he steps on the mound,” Thomson told NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Corey Seidman. “He’s been outstanding.”
Entering the season, veteran star, like many of Philadelphia’s offseason additions, was viewed as a potential bounce-back candidate. After struggling through injuries and posting a 5.00 ERA over 66.2 innings in 2024, he arrived in Philly determined to turn things around.
According to Baseball Savant, Luzardo’s velocity, whiff rate, and chase rate have all rebounded to 2023 levels, and his pitch command has improved even further — he’s limiting opponents to a .568 OPS through 36.1 innings, putting him on track for a career-best mark. Impressively, he’s doing all of this while the Phillies are also missing fellow lefty Ranger Suárez from their rotation.
Of course, the challenge will be keeping Luzardo healthy across the long season, especially given how hard he throws. But if he can maintain anything close to this pace, he could become the next Phillies pitcher in line for a long-term contract extension.