The Phillies got Jesus Luzardo back just in time for the finish line, activating the left-hander ahead of their season finale against the Rays and sending Jose Urquidy off the roster in a corresponding move.
Luzardo is back for Game 162 and can be used out of the bullpen. His absence wound up being a brief one after left shoulder inflammation sent him to the injured list earlier this month.
Now the Phillies are staring at a tense Sunday: they need either a win or a Diamondbacks loss to lock up a Wild Card berth. Zack Wheeler is getting the start as Philadelphia tries to keep the season from slipping away at the last second.
The timing matters beyond Sunday, too. Because Wheeler has to take the ball in the finale, the Phillies would need to rearrange their playoff rotation if they advance. Cristopher Sanchez would be the likely Game 1 starter, while Luzardo could be in line for Game 2 if he isn’t used out of the bullpen today.
Urquidy’s stay in Philadelphia was short. The Phillies claimed him off waivers from the White Sox last week, and he was thrown right into the mix.
He delivered 4 2/3 scoreless innings behind an opener in his first outing with the club, but his second appearance went the other way. In last night’s blowout loss to the Rays, he allowed three runs in 2 2/3 innings.
Now he’s headed back to the waiver wire. If he clears, he has enough MLB service time to refuse an outright assignment.
The veteran lost most of 2024 and 2025 to Tommy John surgery, and this isn’t unfamiliar territory for him - Urquidy drew interest the first two times he was designated for assignment this season. He’s expected to land somewhere else again.
In Other News...
Phillies Playoff Setup Creates An Early Problem Against Atlanta
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For Philadelphia, the bigger wrinkle is on the mound. Zack Wheeler is unlikely to be available early in the series after working in Game 162, which leaves the Phillies to sort through their pitching plan without one of their most dependable arms right away. In a short series against a division rival, that kind of opening-handicap can shape everything from matchups to bullpen usage before the calendar even flips. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Prospect Bryan Rincon Is Forcing A Bigger Infield Conversation
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For a Phillies infield picture that is never exactly short on moving parts, Rincons rise only adds to the conversation about what comes next. The Phillies still may choose to let him keep developing in the minors rather than push the pace, with Triple-A potentially waiting in 2027, but his season was the kind that makes it harder to ignore a player for long. [Read more 🡒]
Jose Alvarado Just Made A Phillies Bullpen Decision Much Harder
The Phillies bullpen has been one of the shakier parts of a roster that can no longer afford many soft spots, and Jose Alvarados recent stretch only adds to the uncertainty. After showing signs of improvement, the veteran left-hander stumbled badly in late September, right as Philadelphia has been trying to hold its postseason position together amid a drop in offensive production and continued relief issues.
Don Mattingly has already acknowledged the discomfort of leaning on Alvarado in the biggest moments, which is where the real complication begins for the Phillies. With free agency looming, the club now has to sort out whether his recent work is a short-term blip or another warning sign, and that decision is getting harder at exactly the wrong time. [Read more 🡒]