After Phillies got to Luzardo in Game 1, can Braxton Garrett keep Marlins’ season alive?
All Jesus Luzardo can do at this point is watch.
The Miami Marlins’ left-handed pitcher and de-facto ace of an injury-ravaged rotation tried to stay upbeat after pitching just four innings in a 4-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of a National League wild card series on Tuesday.
Luzardo battled throughout the outing, dealing with a patient Phillies lineup that worked deep counts and put traffic on the basepaths, and ultimately gave up three runs on eight hits while striking out five. He needed 90 pitches to record 12 outs.
There were no big mistakes — no home runs, no walks — but enough damage done consecutively by a potent lineup to end Luzardo’s night early and put the Marlins on the brink of elimination.
“They’re obviously a great lineup full of veteran hitters and they’ve been in the postseason,” Luzardo said. “They know how to grind guys out. They did that. They just grinded me out, not as aggressive as they usually are and not really chasing much.
With the loss, the Marlins need to win Game 2 on Wednesday to force a winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday.
And that puts the pressure of keeping the Marlins’ season alive on Braxton Garrett, who started the season as the Marlins’ long reliever in the bullpen before establishing himself as a fixture in the rotation.
“He’s the right guy for the moment,” Luzardo said. “I think he’ll step up and get us back on track. ... I don’t think the moment is too big for him.”
Seemingly no moment has been for Garrett this season.
He set a career high in starts (30), innings pitched (159 2/3) and strikeouts (156) while posting a 3.66 ERA and holding opponents to a .250 batting average against and 1.15 walks and hits per innings pitched — the final two of which are career-best marks as well.
And in Garrett’s 30 starts this year, Miami is 21-9.
“He’s such a team guy and wants to win,” Marlins pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. said last week. “He’s competitive and he always has been. I think for the first time in his career, he knows he belongs here. He’s proven that. I think in the past, there was always an uneasiness that came with his disposition, not known if he’s gonna get sent down, not knowing what the day’s gonna look like, now knowing how his stuff’s gonna play. For me, he’s our most improved pitcher, without a doubt. Look, here it is. We’re counting on him.”
Miami needed someone to step up in the rotation as injuries took a toll on the team’s starting pitching depth. Garrett first joined the rotation when Johnny Cueto went on the injured list with right biceps tightness five games into the season. His role magnified when Trevor Rogers went down with a left biceps strain in mid-May (and then had a setback with his right shoulder in early June while on a rehab assignment). And then he found himself as the team’s No. 2 pitcher behind Luzardo following season-ending injuries to Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez in September along with inconsistency from Edward Cabrera and Cueto.
“Our hitters’ motto is pass the baton. With us pitchers, we do a lot of the same thing,” Garrett said. “We’ve had a lot of guys go down, and guys have had to come up and make starts. Me and Jesus have been fortunate to be healthy and continue to pitch really well. ... Everyone who’s on the mound, we believe in them.”
The Marlins will have to believe in Garrett on Wednesday.
This story was originally published October 4, 2023 at 12:19 AM.
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