Bryce Harper's teammate Jesus Luzardo gets candid about joining Phillies and 2025 strikeout charity goals

One of the biggest additions to the Philadelphia Phillies pitching staff this offseason was Jesus Luzardo. The club sent a pair of prospects, Starlyn Caba and Emaarion Boyd, to the Miami Marlins in exchange for the veteran southpaw starter. It's safe to say that if the team gets the version of Luzardo that we saw in his Phillies debut, the team may have landed a game-changing weapon.

During his Philadelphia Phillies debut, Jesus Luzardo dominated the Washington Nationals lineup, racking up a whopping 11 strikeouts in the process. While Luzardo did give up a pair of runs, he was excellent, something that the veteran spoke about in an interview with the MLB Network.

Jesus Luzardo spoke about his satisfaction with his performance, while also speaking about making a good first impression in front of his new ball club. The Phillies have some of the biggest names in baseball on the roster, featuring the likes of Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Zack Wheeler, and Trea Turner. It's safe to say the club was happy with Luzardo's debut.

"You always want to get off on the right foot and a good first impression with a new team. Especially with these guys, facing them the last 3 or 4 years. I have alot of head-to-head battles with them but now I'm happy to be on this side and be in this dugout," Luzardo explained.

A big part of Jesus Luzardo's success was his ability to induce a number swinging strikes with his new sweeper pitch. The new off-speed weapon will not only help Luzardo suceed on the field, but thanks to his philanthropic work, it will also help the Boys and Girls club of Philadelphia.

"It's important for me and my family to give back any way we can. I think it was a good way to incorporate baseball, something I love, into giving back to the community any way that I can," He continued.

As part of the "Striking Out Barriers" initiative, the Jesus Luzardo Family Foundation is helping raise funds for the Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia. If more outings go the same way as it did this weekend, it could be a huge season for Luzardo's charity work.

A healthy Jesus Luzardo will help bolster one of the best rotations in baseball

One of the biggest issues for Luzardo throughout his career has been his health. That being said, if Luzardo can remain on the mound, he could be a major asset for the Phillies this season. He has only ever thrown more than 100.0 innings twice in his career, however, he coming into the new season healthy and ready to contribute to one of the best rotations in baseball.

Jesus Luzardo will join the likes of Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sanchez, and Taijuan Walker to create a nightmare matchup for nearly every opponent. The hope is that he can continue to rack up strikeouts to keep benefitting the Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia along the way.