Oh, the highs and lows of a baseball season. Just when you thought Jesus Luzardo was carving out his place in the conversation for the National League Cy Young Award, Saturday's performance seemed to come out of left field. The Philadelphia Phillies certainly had a day to forget, as the Milwaukee Brewers delivered a 17-7 thumping at Citizens Bank Park.
In a game that few Phillies fans will want to remember, Luzardo's outing was undeniably tough to watch. Over just 3.1 innings, he surrendered a jaw-dropping 12 earned runs, a first for a Philadelphia pitcher since Al Jurisich took the mound back in 1947.
To put that into perspective, it took Luzardo's ERA from an impressive 2.15 to a far less sparkly 3.58. So, while the score wasn't entirely on his shoulders, he definitely set the tone for a rough outing.
Before Saturday's blowout, Luzardo was on a roll, delivering three consecutive quality starts and tallying back-to-back games with double-digit strikeouts. This only makes his recent outing all the more puzzling and difficult to digest. He managed to serve up a couple of long balls to former Phillies star Rhys Hoskins, who contributed two three-run homers, punctuating the Brewers' offensive assault.
After Luzardo left the mound, Joe Ross stepped in and managed to hold things steady for a bit. However, Jose Ruiz wasn't able to maintain that steadiness, giving up five runs in his one inning of work, including a three-run blast from Jackson Chourio. It might have been a small saving grace that position player Weston Wilson emerged as the most effective pitcher for the Phillies that day, as he pitched two scoreless innings, providing some rare relief for the home team.
Despite the damage done, it's crucial not to dismiss Luzardo's early-season prowess. There's still time for him to bounce back and reestablish himself in the Cy Young conversation; after all, it's only the beginning of the campaign.
The focus now shifts to the Phillies' next game, where they'll look to Ranger Suarez to right the ship and put Saturday's game in the rearview mirror. Baseball is full of surprises, and this season is proving that in spades.
Here's hoping for better days ahead for the Phillies and a reset for Luzardo's potential journey to greatness.
