Jesús Luzardo didn’t have an easy outing against the Los Angeles Angels. He allowed 4 runs that helped the Angels tie the game against the Philadelphia Phillies, who ultimately lost 6–5 — their first defeat of the second half of the season.
After the game, Luzardo spoke with reporters alongside several teammates and didn’t hesitate to make a tough admission: “I feel like obviously this loss is on me,” he said, after giving up not only the runs, but also 7 hits and 2 home runs.
It marked Luzardo’s second rough start of July. Before this game, he helped the Phillies secure a win over the Giants with a clean, scoreless performance. Still, this latest outing left him frustrated. He described the loss as “extremely frustrating.”
Phillies’ Offensive Woes
Luzardo acknowledged that he failed to capitalize on the early run support his teammates gave him, but the team’s offense has also drawn attention in recent days — especially with Bryce Harper defending Bryson Stott amid the second baseman’s recent struggles at the plate.
Despite the setback, Luzardo remains the Phillies’ fourth-best starting pitcher in terms of ERA at 4.29 — ahead of Aaron Nola, who remains sidelined with an injury. The team has been rotating other arms in his absence.
Still in a Strong Spot
Even with some issues on both sides of the ball, the Phillies remain in first place in the NL East with a 55–42 record, just ahead of the Mets at 55–43. It’s a strong position as long as they can stay consistent and avoid slipping further. And they weren’t the only MLB contenders to stumble at the start of the second half — both the Yankees and Mets also dropped recent games.
