Phillies Ace Jesús Luzardo Avoids Serious Shoulder Injury

Relief for Philadelphia Rotation

The Philadelphia Phillies received welcome news following a medical evaluation on star pitcher Jesús Luzardo. An MRI on his left shoulder showed no serious issues after he experienced stiffness leading up to the weekend.

The left-handed All-Star was scratched from his scheduled start on Saturday night against the Atlanta Braves. Tim Mayza took the ball in place of Luzardo to handle the starting duties for Philadelphia instead.

Luzardo will not throw for a couple of days while the team lets the shoulder rest and recover.

Mattingly Remains Calm

Manager Don Mattingly did not appear overly concerned about the situation, even with the postseason right around the corner. Philadelphia remains in position for a wild-card spot.

"As we worked through it the last couple of days, we thought he's gonna be able to make the start," Mattingly said. "He's still not quite there. We feel like it's safer to be careful with him. We don't want this to linger, so it's one of those things, we want to try to take care of it and just go from there."

Luzardo has put together a huge campaign on the mound. The 28 year old pitcher holds a 14-5 record to go with a 2.87 ERA this season. During his most recent game against Atlanta, Luzardo dominated by striking out 12 hitters in the first shutout of his career.

What it means for the next game

Philadelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves (MLB, Sun, 13 Sep): Atlanta Braves win 54%, Philadelphia Phillies win 46%; projected score Atlanta Braves 5, Philadelphia Phillies 4. Our safest pick: Phillies +3.5.

Philadelphia Phillies at Washington Nationals (MLB, Tue, 15 Sep): Washington Nationals win 46%, Philadelphia Phillies win 54%; projected score Washington Nationals 5, Philadelphia Phillies 5. Our safest pick: Nationals +2.5.