Phillies Readying Jesus Luzardo for Next Step in Rehab Process

Jesus Luzardo is ready for the next step of his rehab process for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Sep 1, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesus Luzardo (44) throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As the Philadelphia Phillies enter the final game of their series with the Milwaukee Brewers, they are knocking on the door of officially clinching a spot in the postseason.

If they can get to 88 wins, which they will reach with their next victory, they will essentially clinch a spot in the National League playoff field. Because two of the teams they are competing with for a spot, the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks, are playing against each other in their final series of the regular season, one of them will have to lose.

Slowly but surely, the Phillies are moving toward making the postseason. And if they do make it, optimism is on the rise that they are going to have Jesus Luzardo available in some capacity, whether it be out of the bullpen as a relief pitcher or in the starting rotation.

As shared by Matt Gelb of The Athletic on X, the star lefty made more progress in his rehab, throwing for the fifth consecutive day. This time, it was a bullpen session where he threw about 30 pitches.

Jesus Luzardo completes bullpen session with no issues

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

Following the session, Luzardo indicated that things went well, an encouraging development for the team. What is next for him in his rehab? Gelb shared that a simulated game this weekend could be on the docket so that he can see hitters in the batter’s box.

The most important takeaway is that Luzardo remains in play as an option for the postseason roster. He and the team are up against the clock, with the NLWC set to begin on Tuesday, Sept. 29, regardless of the seed the team gets.

Having him available to help the team at all would be a huge boost. He has not made an appearance since Sept. 7, when he threw a complete-game shutout against the Atlanta Braves, so he may not be fully stretched out to start and give a full workload.

Jesús Luzardo threw a bullpen session today, as expected. About 30 pitches. Luzardo, afterward, indicated it went well. Phillies could look to do a sim game this weekend so he sees hitters. He remains very much in play for postseason.

— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) September 24, 2026

But if he can throw a few innings out of the bullpen, the team would be thrilled with that. Their relief staff is limping to the finish line, and having Luzardo as an option behind their starting rotation would be a nice safety net for interim manager Don Mattingly to fall back on.

It has been five years since Luzardo made an appearance out of the bullpen, but it is easy to imagine he will do whatever he can to help put the team in a position to win. This has been a disappointing end to a career season spent on the sidelines, but it is becoming more and more likely that he will be able to help his team in the playoffs next week.

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