The Braves walked out of Friday night with more than just a comeback win over the Phillies. They also got a major break for Saturday’s game, because Jesus Luzardo is no longer set to start.
That matters. Atlanta was already staring at a tough assignment against a pitcher who had shut them down over nine innings earlier in the week, and the matchup looked even worse after the Braves lost southpaw-killer Lane Thomas. Instead, the Phillies said after the game that Luzardo was being scratched because of shoulder stiffness.
Don Mattingly announces that “shoulder stiffness” will keep Jesús Luzardo from starting Saturday night in Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/GQui9zRCdX
- NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) September 12, 2026
The timing only adds to the Braves’ edge. Mattingly kept Luzardo in for all nine innings in that previous game against Atlanta, and while 109 pitches wasn’t the obvious red flag, there’s a real difference between working through nine innings and going through all the warm-up cycles that come with it. The Phillies won that game, but the cost may have shown up quickly.
As of early Saturday morning, Philadelphia still had not announced Luzardo’s replacement. The Phillies also said they would use an opener, which could create even more trouble for a bullpen that was already stretched after extra innings in Friday’s loss. If they can’t get five or more innings from somebody, Atlanta could be facing a tired reliever - or two - before the game is done.
None of that means the Braves can just assume the rest of the night will take care of itself. Atlanta has seen enough unexpected pitching performances over the years to know better. But Luzardo was the big obstacle, and with him scratched, the matchup suddenly swings hard in the Braves’ favor.
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Phillies Suddenly Change Plans For A Braves Game That Matters
The Phillies had lined up Jesus Luzardo to take the ball in an upcoming game against the Braves, but that plan changed quickly when the left-hander was scratched because of stiffness in his left shoulder, according to manager Don Mattingly. Philadelphia will turn the matchup into a bullpen game instead, a notable adjustment in a series where every start can matter with Atlanta still tracking the shape of the race around it.
Luzardo has been one of the Phillies most important pitchers this season, working deep into games and showing why the club moved to secure him with a five-year extension. For now, the hope is that the setback costs him only a few days, with the team planning to give him extra rest before bringing him back into the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
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The Braves got a jolt of bad timing with Lane Thomas, whose injury is expected to keep him out at least a month and puts his availability for the NL Wild Card Series and NLDS in serious doubt. Even before this setback, Thomas had become an important part of Atlantas plan against left-handed pitching, giving the lineup a look it will now have to replace if the team gets into a short postseason series.
That absence matters because the Braves could run into opponents built around strong left-handed staffs, and that is exactly the kind of matchup where one missing bat can change the shape of a series. Atlanta still has time to sort through options, but Thomas injury leaves a clear hole in a spot the Braves were hoping to lean on when October pressure starts to rise. [Read more 🡒]