Teammates say Jesús Luzardo brings them together. That’s just what they did to celebrate his new extension.
Luzardo’s impact on the team goes beyond what he does on the mound, which is a big reason his teammates wanted to show up for him on Tuesday when his five-year extension was announced.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — The BayCare Ballpark cafeteria was standing room only on Tuesday morning.
The room had undergone a temporary transformation to become news conference-ready, after the Phillies officially announced they had agreed to terms with Jesús Luzardo on a five-year contract extension. The deal, worth $135 million, begins in 2027 and runs through 2031 with a club option for the 2032 season.
Present on Tuesday were Luzardo’s wife, parents, sister, and agent, members of the Phillies coaching staff and front office, and principal owner John Middleton. Most of his teammates crowded in as well, lining the back wall of the room and giving the left-hander an ovation as he made his way to the podium.
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“It’s been a great ride, and over the last season I’ve really enjoyed some of the most fun I’ve ever had on a baseball field and in the clubhouse,” Luzardo said. “So I’m thankful for these guys to come out and support me as well.”
Phillies manager Rob Thomson made sure everyone in the clubhouse knew the news conference was scheduled for 11:30 a.m., and even with their game against the Yankees starting less than two hours later, the team filled the room.
“That close to game time, a lot of guys are doing a lot of different things,” Trea Turner said. “It says a lot that all those people came, so that was pretty cool.”
Luzardo’s extension makes sense for both sides. The Phillies got a deal done before Luzardo could test the free agent market at the end of the 2026 season, which could have driven his price up even further. And Luzardo has secured some long-term stability with a looming labor dispute when the collective bargaining agreement expires in December.
At 28 years old, Luzardo has already been traded three times in his career. Now, his future seems more certain.
“It means a lot to me, my family,” Luzardo said. “Being traded a couple times, just bouncing around, kind of the uncertainty of a lot of things throughout my career. And just thankful to have a place where hopefully [we] create some stability, and hopefully create a family, and have a place where we can call home that we love and enjoy.”
» READ MORE: Jesús Luzardo finds the stability he craved with his Phillies extension as part of a change atop the rotation
Luzardo is set to become one of the highest-paid left-handed pitchers in baseball. He finished seventh in National League Cy Young voting in 2025 after putting up a 3.92 ERA over a career-high 183⅓ innings. His 10.584 strikeouts per nine innings ranked second in the National League.
He also turned in two strong performances in the National League Division Series, holding the Dodgers to two runs over six innings in his Game 2 start and then shutting them down over 1⅓ innings in emergency relief in Game 4.
“It starts with the person … the hard work, the dedication, the drive to be the best, what he does out on the mound, as far as the game is concerned, giving you every bit of effort,” said president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. “But then you also talk about the talent. So you combine all of that with one of the best arms in the game. … I think anytime you talk about a long-term deal, which we are, you always want to make sure you have the work ethic that will continue to be that way.”
Luzardo gave credit to Phillies pitching coaches Caleb Cotham and Mark Lowy. Last spring, they helped him develop a sweeper, which within a few months became one of his best pitches with a 43.7% whiff rate. This year, the focus is on refining his changeup.
Luzardo’s rise hasn’t surprised catcher J.T. Realmuto.
“Trust me, I faced him enough in Miami for a couple years where he just ate our lunch,” Realmuto said of the former Marlin. “I knew he had the stuff coming in. I think it was just more honing ... his command a little bit, working on his pitch mix and just giving him that confidence, and once he had those three things, he’s one of the best left-handers in the entire game and one of the best pitchers in baseball.”
But Luzardo’s impact on the team goes beyond what he does on the mound, which is a big reason his teammates wanted to show up for him on Tuesday.
» READ MORE: How Max Scherzer has mentored Jesús Luzardo, from NL East ‘pop quizzes’ to offseason training advice
Orion Kerkering described Luzardo as the type of person who will always invite teammates to grab dinner or hang out all together. He is a connector between groups, such as between younger players and older players, or between American players and Latin players. Luzardo, who was born in Peru to Venezuelan parents and raised in South Florida, is bilingual.
“He’s a guy you can go to, for sure,” Kerkering said. “Doesn’t matter where you’re from.”
Kerkering was throwing a live batting practice session at the same time as Luzardo’s news conference, but he heard the highlights from Brandon Marsh.
According to Turner, having someone in the clubhouse who is able to bring different types of people together is key for a championship club. He pointed to Venezuelan pitcher Aníbal Sánchez as that player for the 2019 World Series champion Nationals.
“He kind of got everyone together, between the Latins and the Americans,” Turner said. “Sometimes I think with the language barrier, we would be friends, but it’s just hard to communicate sometimes. … I think guys like that are super important with how much the game’s become kind of a world game. To not be cliquey, and be able to hang out, I think is really good.”
Luzardo not only embraced his teammates right away after the Phillies acquired him in December 2024, but he also embraced the city itself.
Last season, he pledged to donate $100 for every strikeout to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia, and then set a career high with 216 strikeouts. He also hosted a Cheesesteaks for Charity event to raise money for the same nonprofit.
“I like the city of Philadelphia,” Luzardo said. “I like living out there, and the fans, the stadium, the energy going to the ballpark every day, and just the expectation to win. And I think that combination of all those things was just the perfect combination for me, and a match made in heaven.”