Sep 24, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesus Luzardo (44) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher
PHILADELPHIA — Not only will the Phillies have their ace in Cristopher Sánchez on the mound in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but arguably their most playoff-tested arm available out of the bullpen.
Rob Thomson revealed Saturday afternoon that Jesús Luzardo will start Game 2 of the NLDS on Monday. That means Ranger Suárez will be available in relief in Game 1 out of the bullpen, should the Phillies need him against Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and company.
Thomson explained the decision Saturday afternoon.
"He's [Luzardo] just pitched so well the last month, and he had pitched prior to Ranger during the regular season," Thomson said. "It just made the most sense to me. We'll have Ranger available out of the 'pen tonight. We'll have [Aaron] Nola available if there's an emergency."
While Suárez has made his name as a starter and will be paid handsomely to pitch in that role as a free agent in the offseason, he's got plenty of bullpen experience. Most notably, he closed out the NL-pennant clinching victory in Game 5 of the 2022 NLCS.
It doesn't sound like Thomson necessarily sees Suárez usurping any of the team's typical leverage arms in Game 1, though.
"Well, you know, I'm really comfortable with our leverage guys at the end, starting in the sixth inning," Thomson said. "So it would probably be early, could be an extra-inning game, that type of thing for tonight."
The decision to have Luzardo take the mound in Game 2 over Suárez is an interesting one, and there's probably arguments on both sides.
Luzardo did have a 3.21 ERA over four September starts, as opposed to a 4.10 ERA from Suárez over five outings during the final month of the regular season. So the Phillies may just feel better about Luzardo right now.
It is true that having Suárez available out of the bullpen could prove to be an advantage is Sánchez struggles. Although from Thomson's answer, it doesn't seem like the Phillies envision Suárez doing something like coming on to close out a win if the game calls for Jhoan Duran to be used earlier than the ninth.
If Suárez isn't going to be used out of the bullpen in Game 1 in the type of leverage situations the Phillies utilized him in during the 2022 playoffs, there's definitely an argument for him just starting in Game 2, especially because that would line him up to also start a win-or-go-home Game 5, if the series gets to that point. (It could also be possible Thomson is just bluffing and does plan to use Suárez in a high-leverage spot tonight.)
But again on the other side of things, Luzardo has made just one postseason start in his career, and Game 2 will be at home. Game 3 will be in a more hostile environment at Dodger Stadium. Maybe the Phillies want a more battled-tested arm to start the first road game of the series.
Presumably, that would mean that Suárez — even if he pitches an inning in Game 1 out of the bullpen — would get the ball Wednesday in Los Angeles for Game 3.
However, when asked about Nola's role in this series, Thomson didn't rule out the longest-tenured Phillie taking the mound in Game 3.
"He could be length. He could be starting, because I'm not announcing a Game 3 starter until after Monday's game just to see how it all plays out," Thomson said.
