Jesús Luzardo** has signed a **\$100 million contract ahead of free agency**. In fact, the available details about his contracts, trades, and arbitration suggest a very different picture. Below is a breakdown of what *is* known — plus what it would take for a \$100 million deal, and why that number seems unlikely at this moment.
– * Luzardo was traded from the Miami Marlins to the Philadelphia Phillies on December 22, 2024. ([MLB.com][1])
* He is arbitration‐eligible and is under team control through the 2026 season. He will reach free agency in 2027 if no extension is signed. ([Sporting News][2])
2. **Past and recent performance / Injury concerns**
* In 2024, Luzardo’s season was cut short after **12 starts** due to a lumbar stress reaction and some elbow issues. His ERA was about 5.00 in that span. ([Inquirer.com][3])
* However, in 2022 and 2023, he showed much more promising performances. For example, in 2023 he threw 178⅔ innings with a strong strikeout total. ([Sporting News][2])
3. **Recent contract / salary**
* Luzardo avoided arbitration with the Phillies for the 2025 season. He signed a one‐year contract worth about **\$6.225 million**. ([nbcsportsphiladelphia.com][4])
* Spotrac lists his 2025 salary under current contract control at **\$6.225 million**, with the free agency set for 2027. ([Spotrac][5])
Why a \$100 million deal is unlikely *right now*
To see a \$100 million contract, several conditions usually need to be met:
* The player must have long stretches of health and strong performance (especially for pitchers).
* Teams offering that kind of money tend to pay for reliability over multiple years.
* The timing needs to be when the player is becoming a free agent or negotiating a long‐term extension, often when demand is high.
At this point, Luzardo has injury concerns and two years remaining before he becomes a free agent. He’s shown flashes of high performance, but 2024 was not his best season. The Phillies are likely to want to see more consistency and durability before committing at that level.
What a \$100 million deal *would require*
If the reported \$100 million contract were to happen in the future, it would probably look something like:
* A multi‐year extension, perhaps 4‑6 years.
* Higher annual average value, likely \$15‑\$25 million+ per year, assuming typical market for capable starting pitchers.
* Proven track record of durability and recent performance close to ace level.
—
If you like, I can run projections based on his performance and comparable pitchers to estimate what type of contract he *might* command when he *does* reach free agency — that might clarify whether \$100M is realistic. Do you want me to do that?
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