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Phillies' Jesus Luzardo sends strong message to Rob Thomson on postseason starting rotation

The Philadelphia Phillies have a problem to solve ahead of the postseason. Fortunately, it's a good one to have. With Zack Wheeler out, the Phillies' starting rotation for a postseason run is going to look a bit different than normal.

Cristopher Sanchez is the Game 1 starter, but the rest of the rotation is still unknown. Aaron Nola, Jesus Luzardo, and Ranger Suarez are the top candidates to earn a starting rotation spot for the postseason.

In a piece from Matt Gelb of The Athletic, Luzardo, who's in his first year with the Phillies, shared a strong message to Rob Thomson and the team about the postseason starting rotation, wishing that he gets the chance to be a starter for Philadelphia.

Phillies' Jesus Luzardo wants to be a postseason starter

"It would be amazing for me," Luzardo said. "I've always said whatever they need from me, I'll do, whether it's a bullpen or a starting job. But I feel like it would be awesome to be a part of that and to get a start in the postseason."

Luzardo, who's having a career year, has a strong case to be one of the Phillies' starting pitchers in October. During the Divisional round, the Phillies will only need three starters, and with Sanchez getting Game 1, Suarez and Luzardo are the next best options.

Nola has struggled this season, having inconsistent starts. If the Phillies make it to the Championship round, the three lefties and Nola will be the team's starters for said series. But, in the Divisional or Wild Card rounds, outside of Sanchez, there's some unknown about the rotation.

However, as Gelb reports, "... the club is fully leaning toward using its three left-handed starters... as the rotation for the NLDS."

That would have made Luzardo's wish to be a part of the starting rotation come true. Sanchez gets Game 1, and Suarez and Luzardo would get games two and three. But the Game 2 starter is also a big deal for the Phillies.

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Whoever is the Game 2 starter will start at home in Philadelphia, while also being slated to start Game 5 if the series gets to that point. The Game 3 starter will be making just one start, except they'll be on the road.

Luzardo, who has a 4.08 ERA in 31 starts this season, is a strong candidate for a Game 2 start. Part of why Luzardo would be more likely to get the Game 2 start is that Suarez has experience coming out of the bullpen for the Phillies in the postseason.

He helped close out the NLCS in 2022 and has shown the ability to come out of the bullpen in his big league career already. Luzardo is primarily a starter, and getting him two outings in a five-game series makes sense.

Luzardo's message to the Phillies and Thomson seems like it'll work, as the Phillies are leaning towards the lefty-trio to be their starting rotation for the NLDS or the Wild Card round, if they can't secure the first round bye.

If he does earn the start, it'll be his fourth start in the postseason, and the first with a team that has a real chance to go the distance. The 27-year-old is likely to be a starter for the Phillies this October, answering his wish that he shared ahead of the postseason.