Jesús Luzardo Bio
Jesús Guillermo Luzardo (born September 30, 1997) is a Peruvian-born Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Oakland Athletics and Miami Marlins, and he made his MLB debut in 2019. Luzardo represented the Venezuelan national baseball team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
A left-handed starter with a strong minor-league résumé, Luzardo entered the majors as a top pitching prospect. His career has carried him from the Washington Nationals organization to Oakland, Miami, and ultimately Philadelphia, where he continues to anchor a major-league rotation.
Early Life and Background
Jesús Guillermo Luzardo was born on September 30, 1997, to Venezuelan parents in Lima, Perú. The family relocated to South Florida when Luzardo was one or two years old, where he grew up and developed his early interest in baseball. His Peruvian birth and Venezuelan heritage make him a unique figure in Major League Baseball history.
Luzardo attended Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, graduating in 2016. He was a highly regarded amateur pitching prospect before a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching arm required Tommy John surgery in March 2016, performed by Dr. James Andrews. The injury, which might have derailed a top prospect, instead became part of the story that shaped his professional path.
Path to Professional Baseball
Despite the injury, Luzardo remained a coveted draft prospect. The Washington Nationals selected him in the third round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft, making him the first Peru-born player drafted by an MLB team since at least 1990. Washington, known for taking chances on players who had already undergone or needed Tommy John surgery, committed to completing his rehabilitation. Luzardo forwent a commitment to the University of Miami to sign with the organization.
He made his professional debut on June 28, 2017, with the GCL Nationals against the GCL Marlins, reportedly reaching 98 miles per hour with his fastball. His arm talent and poise on the mound quickly marked him as one of the more advanced young pitchers in the lower minors.
Jesús Luzardo Career
Oakland Athletics Era (2017–2021)
The Nationals traded Luzardo, Sheldon Neuse, and Blake Treinen to the Oakland Athletics on July 16, 2017, for Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson. After joining Oakland, he pitched for the Arizona League Athletics and the Vermont Lake Monsters, posting a 2–1 record with a 1.66 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 43⅓ innings across his three stops that year. He was widely ranked among the top prospects in the minor leagues entering 2018.
Luzardo opened 2018 with the Stockton Ports and was promoted to the Double-A Midland RockHounds early in the season. He made his Triple-A debut with the Nashville Sounds on August 6, and across three levels that year he combined for a 10–5 record, a 2.88 ERA, and 129 strikeouts. His performance earned him spots on the Texas League’s mid- and post-season All-Star teams and a selection to the All-Star Futures Game.
MLB Debut and Oakland Rotation (2019–2021)
The Athletics selected Luzardo’s contract and promoted him to the major leagues on September 9, 2019. He made his MLB debut on September 11 versus the Houston Astros, pitching three innings in relief. With that appearance, he became the first Peruvian-born player in major league history. He appeared in six games for Oakland in September of his rookie year.
In 2020, Luzardo tested positive for COVID-19, which delayed his return to a starting role. After two relief appearances, he made his first big-league start on August 4 against the Texas Rangers, then earned his first win on August 9 against the Houston Astros. He finished the shortened season 3–2 with a 4.12 ERA in 12 games (9 starts). In 2021, he struggled to a 5.79 ERA over six starts before a freak off-field injury, a fractured pinky suffered when he accidentally slammed his throwing hand on a table while playing a video game, sent him to the injured list. By the time he returned on May 30, James Kaprielian had claimed his rotation spot, and Luzardo was eventually optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas on June 21.
Miami Marlins Era (2021–2024)
On July 28, 2021, the Athletics traded Luzardo to the Miami Marlins in exchange for Starling Marte and cash considerations. He made 12 starts for the Marlins down the stretch, going 4–5 with a 6.44 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 57⅓ innings. In 2022, a left forearm strain landed him on the injured list in May and the 60-day IL in June, but he returned on August 1 and finished the year with an 18-start line of 4–7 and a 3.32 ERA with 120 strikeouts over 100⅓ innings.
Luzardo’s 2023 salary was set at $2.45 million through arbitration. He made 32 starts for Miami in 2023, posting a 10–10 record and 3.58 ERA with 208 strikeouts across 178⅔ innings, establishing himself as a durable mid-rotation starter. In 2024, he opened the year in the Marlins’ rotation with a 3–6 record and 5.00 ERA across 12 starts before a lumbar stress reaction placed him on the injured list on June 22, 2024. He was transferred to the 60-day IL the next day, and on August 8, Luzardo announced he would miss the remainder of the season due to the injury.
Philadelphia Phillies Era (2024–Present)
On December 22, 2024, the Marlins traded Luzardo and Paul McIntosh to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for prospects Starlyn Caba and Emaarion Boyd. The move paired him with a contender and gave Philadelphia another left-handed option for its rotation.
Notable Events and Milestones
Luzardo’s most significant historical milestone came on September 11, 2019, when he became the first Peruvian-born player in major league history. He has also added an All-Star Futures Game selection and Texas League All-Star honors in 2018, and he represented Venezuela in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Jesús Luzardo Career Wins
Jesús Luzardo has collected MLB wins with three organizations, beginning with his first big-league victory on August 9, 2020, against the Houston Astros. Across stints with Oakland, Miami, and Philadelphia, he has combined for double-digit wins in a full season, including a 10-win campaign with the Marlins in 2023.
MLB Win Highlights
His first MLB win came in his second start of the 2020 season, an early milestone that signaled his potential as a starter. In 2023, Luzardo reached double-digit wins for the first time, going 10–10 with a 3.58 ERA while logging 208 strikeouts, a workload that highlighted his growth into a reliable rotation piece.
Jesús Luzardo Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Luzardo was raised by Venezuelan parents in South Florida after being born in Lima, Perú. He has used his platform to support causes connected to his hometown community, including a personal connection to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
Community Involvement
During the 2018 offseason, Luzardo helped coach at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where he had graduated two years earlier. On February 14, 2018, he had planned to be at the school at 2:40 p.m. for a practice but was running late. A former student opened fire at the school around 2:20 p.m., and before Luzardo arrived, he received a text from his former coach advising him not to come. Following the shooting, Luzardo set up a fundraiser that raised over $10,000 for the family of Athletic Director Chris Hixon, who was killed in the tragedy. For the 2025 season, Luzardo and his family foundation donate $100 for each strikeout he records to support youth programs in Philadelphia through his “Striking Out Barriers” initiative, with the funds benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia.
2025 Season Performance
Jesús Luzardo enters the 2025 season as part of the Philadelphia Phillies’ starting rotation following the December 2024 trade from Miami. The Phillies acquired him to add another left-handed arm to a competitive staff, pairing him with the team’s established core of starters. His ability to miss bats, evidenced by his 208 strikeouts in 2023, fits the profile Philadelphia pursued at the trade deadline and into the offseason.
Coming off a 2024 campaign cut short by a lumbar stress reaction, Luzardo’s health will be a key storyline for the 2025 season. If he returns to his 2023 form, the Phillies will gain a durable, mid-rotation starter capable of working deep into games. His partnership with the Philadelphia coaching staff and his “Striking Out Barriers” community initiative also add a meaningful off-field dimension to his first year with the organization.
Luzardo’s outlook for 2025 hinges on durability and consistency. A fully healthy season would represent a return to the form that made him a top pitching prospect and a 10-game winner in 2023. With Philadelphia in postseason contention, Luzardo has a clear opportunity to play meaningful innings in October and to cement his place in the Phillies’ long-term plans.