Phillies Receive Encouraging Jesus Luzardo Injury Update

The Philadelphia Phillies might be getting Jesus Luzardo back after all.

Sep 7, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo (44) throws a pitch during the second inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Philadelphia Phillies suffered a major loss at an inopportune time when it was revealed that Jesus Luzardo was heading to the injured list.

He was scratched from his start against the Atlanta Braves on Sept. 12 with shoulder stiffness, and it didn’t seem to be too serious an issue. Then, a few days later on Sept. 15, he was placed on the injured list, which put the team in a race against the clock.

Securing a playoff spot was going to become a lot harder. Should the Phillies make the postseason, they now had to worry about how to line up their rotation without one of their star players.

However, there is optimism that Luzardo is going to be able to help the team at some point. He has taken a major step in the right direction in his recovery, beginning his throwing program on Sunday, a few hours before Philadelphia took the field against the New York Mets for their series finale at Citi Field.

Jesus Luzardo moving closer to return to mound

Sep 7, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo (44) walks off the kind after the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As shared by Matt Gelb of The Athletic on X, the talented lefty was cleared to play catch, and he was playing catch on the field.

“Obviously, positive signs with him,” Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said, via Gelb on The Athletic (subscription required). “Getting better and better. The last couple of days, the range of motion was back. There was no more stiffness.”

There are still hurdles for Luzardo to overcome. He has to take the mound for a bullpen session, and that could happen this week. Eligible to be activated for the final regular season game of the year on Sept. 27 against the Tampa Bay Rays, Luzardo could be brought back, but there is no plan for him to pitch in that game.

He has not thrown since Sept. 7, when he pitched a complete-game shutout against the Braves. It had been nine days since he threw a ball at all before playing catch at Citi Field, when their head physician, Steven Cohen, was called upon and cleared the All-Star to begin throwing.

Jesús Luzardo has been cleared to play catch. He is doing so right now.

Big first step for him. Alluded to this possibility in this morning's story: https://t.co/vqEaoj2w1w pic.twitter.com/JpOkZAieMi

— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) September 20, 2026

“Very optimistic,” Dombrowski said. “That’s all I really can say at this point. But, yeah, very optimistic.”

Should Luzardo be able to return to the mound, what role he is going to play is currently up in the air. Right now, it looks like he could make his return as a relief pitcher, helping a bullpen that has been struggling mightily.

However, the possibility of being a starter still exists, as Mattingly said both scenarios are being entertained by the team.