The Philadelphia Phillies found themselves in an embarrassing situation, giving up three consecutive home runs in a single inning. The Detroit Tigers were firing on all cylinders, launching one ball after another out of the park off Phillies’ starting pitcher Jesús Luzardo. This disastrous sequence left many wondering if the Phillies made a serious mistake by choosing Luzardo to start. Judging by the reaction of Phillies manager Rob Thomson, it certainly seemed like the decision backfired in spectacular fashion. In a matter of minutes, the score shifted from a calm 0-0 to a shocking 6-0.
Luzardo’s struggles were not entirely unexpected, given his rough record in 2024, where he went 3-6 across 12 appearances, throwing 66.2 innings. However, in this particular game, the Tigers’ Gleyber Torres was among those who capitalized on Luzardo’s shaky performance. Torres went 1-for-3 with a walk and contributed a solo home run along with two total runs in the game against the Phillies. Naturally, fans couldn’t hold back their reactions as the Phillies endured a nightmare inning. Many especially focused on Rob Thomson’s stunned and speechless reaction to his new starting pitcher giving up three straight homers.
This all unfolded on March 6 during a spring training game between the Phillies and the Tigers. Thomson happened to be giving an in-game interview when disaster struck. As he was speaking live on the broadcast, the Tigers launched their offensive onslaught, turning the score into a lopsided mess in real-time. The incident was captured and shared widely, with Awful Announcing posting a clip of Thomson’s priceless reaction, as his face said it all when Luzardo got hammered pitch after pitch.
The sequence began with the Tigers’ free agent signing Jahmai Jones blasting a grand slam off Luzardo, leaving Thomson visibly pained in the dugout. Before the replay even finished airing, Andy Ibáñez followed it up with another home run. And then, as if to twist the knife even further, Gleyber Torres joined the fun by hitting a home run of his own on the very next pitch, completing a brutal stretch of three consecutive home runs. Thomson’s face, frozen in disbelief, summed up the entire Phillies fanbase at that moment.
As expected, fans flooded social media with their reactions to the Phillies skipper’s stunned silence. One user simply commented, “Lol, brutal,” which seemed to perfectly capture the mood. No manager wants to see their team get dismantled that way, especially not with a pitcher they just acquired in hopes of strengthening their rotation. With high expectations for the upcoming season, the Phillies invested $72 million in Luzardo, hoping he would be a key part of their push for a deep playoff run — potentially even a World Series bid. But after this disastrous outing, fans were quick to question whether the team had made a costly mistake.
The decision to sign Luzardo and place him in the rotation came at the expense of Taijuan Walker, who was pushed out of the starting five. The thinking was that Luzardo would offer more upside than Walker, whose own performances had been uneven. But after Luzardo’s meltdown, sympathy was in short supply. One fan’s blunt reaction summed up the mood: “Hahaha, this is brutal.” Instead of defending Thomson or the front office, fans largely chose to pile on with jokes and criticism.
While many fans found humor in Thomson’s misery, there’s a deeper undercurrent of frustration with the Phillies’ management. Some fans still haven’t forgiven Thomson for key decisions during last season’s playoffs — including leaving ace Zack Wheeler on the bench during Game 4 of the NLDS, a move many believe cost the Phillies dearly. Benching Bryson Stott was another controversial decision that continues to haunt the manager’s reputation.
Adding to the skepticism about Luzardo’s signing is his less-than-stellar track record. One fan put it bluntly: “Don’t draft Jesús Luzardo in fantasy.” The dissatisfaction with Luzardo’s arrival, combined with the team’s recent struggles, has left some wondering whether the Phillies’ front office truly made the right call in replacing Walker with Luzardo.
The Phillies’ pitching woes have now become a running joke online. One fan sarcastically quipped, “Phillies pitching really looks good lmao,” capturing the frustration and humor in equal measure. Luzardo was supposed to be a stabilizing force, but instead, he got completely shelled in his spring training debut. While Luzardo bears some of the blame, the team’s larger struggles — including injuries, financial constraints, and inconsistent play — have all contributed to an increasingly bleak outlook for the 2025 season.
What exactly is behind the Phillies’ poor performance in spring training remains an open question. Fans, analysts, and even casual observers all have opinions on whether the Luzardo signing was a $72 million blunder or just an unlucky blip. Regardless, one thing is clear — Rob Thomson and the Phillies are under immense pressure, and the fanbase isn’t going to give them much room for error.