How many innings is Jesus Luzardo pitching today for Phillies vs Braves in 2026 MLB Wild Card Game 1?

The Philadelphia Phillies turned their regular season around down the stretch to lock up a spot in the Wild Card round, where a familiar division rival awaits: the Atlanta Braves. Jesus Luzardo will get the nod on the mound for Game 1, but all eyes are on how deep he can realistically go.

Manager Don Mattingly confirmed that Luzardo will serve as an opener today for the Phillies, likely capped at one or two innings. The southpaw is fresh off a 15-day IL stint and threw just four pitches in the regular-season finale against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Given those workload limits, Luzardo is expected to throw roughly 15 to 30 pitches against Braves hitters. According to Mattingly, top pitching prospect Andrew Painter is slated to enter out of the bullpen to bridge the middle innings once Luzardo exits.

While other playoff teams are dealing with major hits—like the New York Yankees losing offensive cornerstone Aaron Judge for their series against the Boston Red Sox—the Phillies confirmed their key core is ready to roll for this Wild Card clash with Atlanta.

Phillies confirmed Game 1 lineup with Luzardo

Behind Luzardo, Philadelphia is rolling out its top defensive and offensive group. Bryce Harper anchors the middle of the order alongside Kyle Schwarber, who is coming off a dominant regular season at the plate.

See also

Starting pitchers for NY Yankees vs Red Sox today in Game 1 of 2026 MLB Wild Card

Here is Philadelphia’s official starting lineup for Game 1:

1. Trea Turner, Shortstop (SS)
2. Kyle Schwarber, Designated Hitter (DH)
3. Bryce Harper, Right Field (RF)
4. Alec Bohm, First Base (1B)
5. Derek Hill, Center Field (CF)
6. Bryan De La Cruz, Left Field (LF)
7. Bryson Stott, Second Base (2B)
8. Edmundo Sosa, Third Base (3B)
9. J.T. Realmuto, Catcher (C)
10. Jesus Luzardo, Pitcher (P)

While the Phillies are trusting Luzardo to set the tone early, the coaching staff will keep him on a tight pitch count following his recent rehab assignment. Philadelphia also finalized its 26-man Wild Card roster, with notable omissions including infielder Luis Arraez, who failed to make the cut for this round.

Key takeaways

• Jesus Luzardo is expected to throw roughly 15 to 30 pitches in Game 1.
• Prospect Andrew Painter is slated to enter out of the bullpen in relief.
• Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber will start for series opener in the Wild Card.