Jesus Luzardo Shines in Debut with Phillies, Striking Out 11 Nationals
Jesus Luzardo had a memorable debut with the Phillies on Saturday, striking out 11 Nationals hitters over five innings. His performance featured increased velocity compared to previous outings in 2024, and he dominated a Washington team that struggled to keep up. Although there were a couple of mistakes, like a home run to Keibert Ruiz, the overall performance was impressive, showcasing Luzardo’s ability to handle the competition.
A New Pitch in Luzardo’s Arsenal: The Sweeper
One notable element of Luzardo’s debut was the introduction of a new pitch—a sweeper. This pitch, a variant of the slider that moves horizontally, was suggested by pitching coach Caleb Cotham and became part of Luzardo’s pitch mix after his trade to the Phillies in the offseason. Luzardo worked on the sweeper during spring training, experimenting with different ways to use it to get hitters to swing and miss.
Luzardo explained that the sweeper provides another method to get hitters out and fits into his game plan differently than his usual slider. He and Cotham worked on using the pitch in specific situations to maximize its effectiveness during the season.
Phillies’ Success with the Sweeper
The Phillies have had success with the sweeper in recent years, with pitchers like Zack Wheeler and Orion Kerkering integrating the pitch into their arsenals. In 2024, the team had three pitchers among the top 30 in run value for the sweeper, making it a go-to pitch for some of their staff. Luzardo was seen as a good candidate to add the sweeper to his repertoire, especially given his existing pitch mix and his ability to tweak pitches for improvement.
Jesus Luzardo – pitch usage
| Pitch | 2023 % | RV | 2024 % | RV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Four-seam | 41.3% | 10 | 35.7% | 1 |
| Slider | 28.9% | -4 | 29.3% | 1 |
| Changeup | 21.0% | -1 | 22.9% | 3 |
| Sinker | 8.5% | -2 | 12.0% | -4 |
| Cutter | 0.4% | 0 | n/a | n/a |
| Curveball | n/a | n/a | 0.1% | 0 |
Analyzing Luzardo’s Pitch Usage
Luzardo’s pitch mix in 2023 and 2024 showed that he had potential to incorporate the sweeper effectively. While he primarily relied on a four-seam fastball, slider, and changeup, his pitch values indicated there was room for improvement. Adding a sweeper seemed like a natural next step to enhance his pitching.
Luzardo’s previous limited use of a curveball and cutter suggested that he already had the foundation for adding a more effective horizontal-breaking pitch, such as the sweeper.
Sweeper’s Impressive Measurements
In Luzardo’s debut, the sweeper showed promising results, averaging 34 inches of vertical drop and 7 inches of horizontal movement. These measurements suggest the pitch could be highly effective, particularly considering it was essentially a newly learned pitch. Statcast data indicates that, had Luzardo maintained these numbers consistently in 2024, his sweeper would have been among the best in terms of whiff rate in the league.
Can Luzardo Maintain This Level of Performance?
Although Luzardo’s sweeper had outstanding numbers in his debut, it’s unrealistic to expect him to maintain this level of performance consistently. Pitchers often have fluctuating results with individual pitches, and Luzardo will likely have games where the pitch isn’t as effective. However, his debut performance indicates that Luzardo has added another weapon to his arsenal, one that could help him generate swings and misses moving forward.
Conclusion: A Positive Start for Luzardo’s Sweeper
While it’s too early to make definitive conclusions based on just one start, Luzardo’s debut suggests that the sweeper could be a valuable addition to his pitching repertoire. With Caleb Cotham’s guidance, Luzardo appears to have made a promising adjustment that could make him even more effective this season.
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