Jesús Luzardo entered the offseason without a specific preference when it came to his contract status and his future. He knew he had only one more year on his deal, but the left-hander was not adamant about reaching an extension. He wanted to just let whatever happened come to him.
But as his agent and the Phillies front office began negotiating a new deal, Luzardo was “thankful.” It all came together this week, as the pitcher signed a five-year, $135 million contract extension to avoid free agency and keep him with the team until at least 2031.