Jesus Luzardo has blossomed into a frontline ace for the Philadelphia Phillies this season, and his first career complete-game shutout (1-0) against the Atlanta Braves on Monday helped validate that.
Luzardo also recorded 12 strikeouts and only gave up two hits and one walk while throwing 109 pitches.
Prior to his masterful performance against the division-leading Braves, the left-handed starter had never pitched into the ninth inning through his first 149 career major league starts, so this marked a huge achievement in his career.
The 28-year-old has provided the Phillies with elite production, boasting a 14-5 record and 2.87 ERA with 221 strikeouts and a microscopic 1.08 WHIP. As well, his 221 strikeouts rank second-best in the NL and are a career-high.
The gem he threw helped solidify his status as a bonafide ace, and while he’s not the favorite in the NL Cy Young race, his dominance has helped carve his way into the conversation.
