The Philadelphia Phillies’ offseason wasn’t full of the shock and awe that many baseball insiders predicted after the Phillies struggled as a team during the second half of last season, and were eliminated by the rival New York Mets in quick order during the NLDS. While the Phillies front office didn’t add a big name like Juan Soto or Roki Sosaki in free agency, a late December deal with the Miami Marlins for left-handed starter Jesús Luzardo didn’t receive the praise that it deserved after the team acquired another front-line starter to add to an already formidable starting rotation.

But the addition of Luzardo to a rotation that also includes Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sánchez and Ranger Suárez didn’t escape mention with baseball insiders entering the 2025 season. Many publications and outlets placed the Phillies rotation near the very top of preseason power rankings heading into Opening Day. While Luzardo had a rough spring training after producing an ERA of 9.49 and allowing five home runs in 12 1/3 exhibition frames, it’s safe to say he silenced his critics after a solid Phillies debut against the Washington Nationals on Saturday.

Luzardo looked solid during his first start in a Phillies uniform with the hard-throwing southpaw throwing 96 pitches and only allowing two earned runs in five innings pitched.

After being slotted into the number two spot in the Phillies rotation, Luzardo was simply too much to handle for Nationals hitters. He scattered five hits, two walks, and struck out 11 to join Phillies legend Jim Bunning for the second most strikeouts in a debut in the team’s 143-year history. Outside of a two-run homer off the bat of Nationals’ catcher Keibert Ruiz, Luzardo was outstanding in his debut, notching his first win of the season easily after the Phillies’ offense came alive in a 11-6 victory down in the nation’s capital.

Luzardo sat 96.9 mph with his four-seamer, maxing out at 98.9 mph. He generated 18 swings and misses on his 96 pitches, with seven of them coming against his sweeper, which he threw 21 times.

It’s hard not to be excited about what the Phillies starting rotation could accomplish this season if everyone remains healthy. Slotted in between right-handers Wheeler and Nola in the rotation to begin the season, Luzardo is finally playing for a competitive team that promises to provide plenty of run support. Philadelphia could be the right spot for a pitcher like Luzardo who has always seemed to be on the cusp of a breakout season and has been hampered by injuries along the way throughout his six-year MLB career. But if he can make between 25-30 starts this season, the 2025 Phillies rotation could be one of the best in team history.