Rob Thomson knows the Philadelphia Phillies don’t have the very best pitchers in the league, but the starters they do have have been more than enough to keep the team competitive and strong in 2025. Still, they came very close to not having one of their top arms, as the Chicago Cubs nearly signed him before backing out.
The pitcher in question is Jesús Luzardo, who today has become a key part of Thomson’s strategy and has steadily given the Phillies reliable performances on the mound like few others in the rotation.
Before joining Philadelphia, Luzardo was with the Miami Marlins, where he was gradually building a strong reputation. It was during his time there that the Cubs showed interest in acquiring him, but ultimately pulled out, which opened the door for the Phillies to land him — along with a minor league player — in a trade.
Why didn’t the Cubs pursue Jesús Luzardo?
According to a report from The Athletic, the Cubs decided against trading for Luzardo after reviewing his medical records and being concerned by what they saw. While the full details are not public, it was known that Luzardo had battled back and elbow issues.
The Phillies were prepared to manage injury risks
President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski explained that the Phillies were confident in their medical team’s ability to assess injury risk — and that was a big reason they moved forward with Luzardo.
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“Our [doctors and athletic trainers] — and knock on wood, because you never know what happens — have been very good at analyzing guys for us. And they have turned guys down at times, too, for us. But they felt they would be able to keep [Luzardo] healthy,” Dombrowski told Ken Rosenthal in a piece for The Athletic.
Luzardo says he feels healthy
Things have gone well for Luzardo with the Phillies. He confirmed he’s feeling much better physically, which has made him a more effective pitcher.
“Last year, the back obviously was a lingering problem every start. It wouldn’t really let me get to where I wanted physically. Having eliminated that, I feel way better,” Luzardo told Rosenthal. As for the Cubs’ decision to pass on him due to health concerns, Luzardo simply smiled when asked about it.