Thursday, May 07

Welcome to the latest edition of the Phillies Beat newsletter.

Don’t forget, Sunday is Mother’s Day. 

MLB.com has shined a spotlight on several Phillies moms over the years. Last year, Bryson Stott retold the story of how he broke the news to his mom, Shana, that he’d made the Phillies’ 2022 Opening Day roster. Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter talked in March about calling their parents after they learned they made the Opening Day roster. There is José Alvarado’s mother, of course. But there also are J.T. Realmuto, Trea Turner and others. 

Bryce Harper even homered on consecutive Mother’s Days a few years ago with the Nationals.

We caught up this week with Phillies left-hander Jesús Luzardo and asked him what he remembered about telling his mom, Monica, that he made the Oakland A’s in September 2019.

Luzardo’s season with Triple-A Las Vegas had just ended.

“I remember they called me into the office and said, ‘Hey, you’re going up to the big leagues to help out for the playoff push,’” Luzardo said. “And I remember calling my mom at home and she was crying. And I basically just told her, ‘I’ll meet you in Houston in a couple days.’

“We kind of knew it was happening, but she was still, like, obviously in shock that it finally happened.”

Monica flew to Houston for Luzardo’s debut. His father, Jesús Luzardo Sr., was in France for a work conference.

“He had just gotten there, and he couldn’t make it back in time,” Luzardo said. “But he watched the game at like 3 a.m., or whatever time it was over there.”

But mom got to Houston in time for Luzardo’s debut on Sept. 11, 2019. Luzardo came out of the bullpen and pitched three innings in a 5-3 victory over the Astros. He allowed one hit, one run and struck out two.

He struck out the first batter he faced: Aledmys Díaz.

He allowed a homer to Martín Maldonado.

What a moment for the Luzardo family.

“My mom drove my sister and I back and forth everywhere,” Luzardo said. “My sister did synchronized swimming, and I did baseball and other sports. My mom was just back and forth from the pool to the baseball field to school all week, all weekend. She was great, always very supportive. And I couldn't have done it without her. She was always around. My dad traveled a lot for work, so she was always there for every game, every practice.

“She’s always just very supportive. If a start goes good or goes bad, she's the same for me, which is nice to have. I mean, just super loving, supportive, always there for me, always someone I lean on. She's just, you know, one of my best friends growing up, along with my dad.

“And she’s a great cook. Her Venezuelan food is second to none.”

There have been 132 players who batted for both the A’s and Phillies franchises. Which one appeared in the most games for the Phillies?

A) Lave Cross

B) Granny Hamner

C) Dick Allen

D) Monte Cross

If you have kids, make sure to check out The Doug Out. They’ll like this one with Kyle Schwarber.

• A’s writer Martin Gallegos wrote a great story about A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz growing up a huge Phillies fan and playing at Citizens Bank Park for the first time as a big leaguer.

• The Phillies named Single-A Clearwater right-hander Gage Wood and Double-A Reading Alex Binelas their Minor League Pitcher and Hitter of the Month, respectively, for April. Wood, 22, posted a 3.45 ERA, striking out 25 and walking seven in 15 2/3 innings. Binelas, 25, batted .268 with two doubles, nine home runs, 19 RBIs and a 1.189 OPS. 

• MLB Pipeline picked a prospect with closer potential. Read to find the Phillies prospect.

Phillies left-hander Jamie Moyer becomes the oldest pitcher in MLB history (47 years, 170 days) to throw a shutout in a 7-0 victory over the Braves on May 7, 2010, at Citizens Bank Park. Moyer allowed two hits and struck out five.

B. Granny Hamner

Hamner played in 1,501 games for the Phillies from 1944-59.

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