The Philadelphia Phillies continue to prioritize long-term stability within their pitching staff, and one potential extension candidate is already making it clear he’s open to staying put.
Left-hander Jesus Luzardo, who has become a key piece of Philadelphia’s rotation, said that he’d be open to signing a contract extension with the organization, even as talks haven’t happened just yet
Luzardo, who arrived with the expectation of pitching in the middle of the rotation, has embraced both the city and the organization early. As the Phillies lost Ranger Suarez, keeping the other above-average left-hander would be a wise idea.
Appearing as a guest on “Phillies Extra,” Luzardo spoke about his mindset and why the idea of a long-term deal in Philadelphia is something he’d be open to.
“It’s not something that I’m closed off to,” Luzardo said. “I just got married and hopefully eventually have a family, and just being stable in a certain place, knowing that you’re comfortable within an organization … it’s something I would be really interested in.”
“It’s an organization that I had a really good time in,” Luzardo said. “I love the city, I loved where I lived, and the organization as a whole, how they treat us as players, how they treated my family. But at the end of the day, it’s not entirely up to me or in my hands.
From the organization’s perspective, the interest appears mutual, but nothing has been done about it just yet.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has spoken positively about Luzardo on multiple occasions, showing that he likes him. However, according to The Athletic’s Charlotte Varnes, that interest hasn’t translated into negotiations.
“President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has publicly expressed interest in extending Luzardo a couple of times,” Varnes reported. “But, per recent interviews with Luzardo, the parties have not had conversations about an extension.”
For the Phillies, flexibility remains important. With several huge contracts already on the books and additional decisions coming in future offseasons, the front office needs to be smart about what it wants to do.
Not saying that Luzardo wouldn’t be a nice long-term piece, but the Phillies don’t have to worry about that just yet.