Phillies sign lefty Luzardo to 5-year, $135 million extension

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jesús Luzardo and the Philadelphia Phillies have agreed on a five-year, $135-million contract extension that starts in 2027, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Monday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was not yet official. The 28-year-old Luzardo went 15-7 with a 3.92 ERA in 183 2/3 innings and was second in the National League with 212 strikeouts in his first season with the Phillies. Luzardo was acquired ahead of the 2025 season in a trade with Miami and instantly helped solidify the rotation – he struck out 11 in his first start against Washington -- as the Phillies won their second straight NL East championship. The only time a pitcher recorded more strikeouts in his first game with Philadelphia came in 1997, when Garrett Stephenson had 12 against the St. Louis Cardinals. The left-hander is 41-41 lifetime over seven seasons that also included stops with Oakland and the Marlins. Luzardo is the latest Phillies starter to sign a long-term deal. Cristopher Sánchez is in the midst of a $22.5 million, four-year contract through the 2028 season. Zack Wheeler has a $126 million contract through the 2027 season, and Aaron Nola is signed to a $172 million deal through 2030, while rookie Andrew Painter expects to earn the fifth-starter spot in the rotation The Phillies had a busy offseason. They gave manager Rob Thomson a one-year extension after he led the Phillies to their fourth straight playoff appearance, signed NL home run champion Kyle Schwarber to a $150 million, five-year deal and three-time All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto to a $45 million, three-year contract. ___ AP Baseball Writer Ron Blum contributed to this story. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb