The Cubs got a little breathing room in the NL Wild Card race, and it came with a Phillies injury update that could matter in a big way.
Entering Tuesday night, Chicago held a half-game edge over Philadelphia for the No. 4 seed, with the two clubs seemingly headed toward a showdown in the Wild Card round. That makes the latest news on Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo especially relevant for the Cubs, who now have a clearer path to the top Wild Card spot.
Philadelphia placed Luzardo on the 15-day injured list after he dealt with shoulder discomfort following his complete-game shutout of the Atlanta Braves on September 7, when he struck out 12. The left-hander had an MRI over the weekend that showed no structural damage, but the Phillies decided he needed more time after he apparently wasn’t bouncing back as quickly as expected.
“Big development: Phillies are putting Jesús Luzardo on the IL. He was not feeling as well as they expected today.
The rest is very much unsure. They are not ruling him out for potential postseason start, Don Mattingly said.”
For now, the Phillies are treating the situation day by day. Because the IL move is retroactive to his last start, Luzardo could technically return before the regular season ends. And even with the injury, there still appears to be a real chance he could be available in the playoffs.
That said, the most immediate effect is on the race right in front of the Cubs. Chicago is back in control of its own destiny for the No. 4 seed, which would give it home-field advantage in a Wild Card series against the Phillies.
The race isn’t settled, though. San Diego currently holds the No. 6 seed and is only 1.5 games behind Chicago, so the picture could still shift quickly.
The schedule also sets up favorably for the Cubs. After finishing their series with the Braves this week, they get consecutive matchups with the Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins. Philadelphia, meanwhile, has a weekend series against the New York Mets before closing with series against the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays.
In theory, Luzardo would be eligible to come off the injured list next week.
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