A’s Luzardo happy to be past virus, back on field
As welcome a sight as having Jesús Luzardo in camp was for the A’s on Friday, it might not have matched Luzardo’s excitement at being back at the Coliseum around teammates.
“It was probably the best day of 2020 for me, by far,” Luzardo said.
Luzardo, the touted 22yearold lefthander, was cleared to join the A’s after he missed the first two weeks of camp after testing positive for the coronavirus during the intake process.
Luzardo said on a video call Friday afternoon that he “didn’t really have any symptoms” after testing positive and “felt good” while selfisolating. Per MLB protocols, Luzardo needed to show he was free of the coronavirus in two tests done at least 24 hours apart before being cleared to join the team.
The positive test came as a surprise, Luzardo said, “just because I was so careful and kind of followed all the rules leading up to that.” Luzardo had been living and training near home in South Florida and said his family members did not contract the virus, “which was a plus.”
“I know not everyone is as lucky as I am that I didn’t have any symptoms or any complications,” Luzardo said. “I’m glad that it went that way for me. Hopefully we can get it under control.”
In feeling unaffected, Luzardo was able to continue throwing to maintain arm strength,
despite being required to isolate. Luzardo said he went to a local field by himself with a net and bucket of baseballs and longtossed or threw off the mound. He said he also had more time to do arm care and mobility exercises at home, “which I guess in the end helps me.”
“My arm feels good,” Luzardo said. “It feels just like it was right before this happened.”
On Friday, Luzardo threw a 30pitch bullpen session in his first camp workout with the A’s, who will have to gauge how much work he requires to get ready to pitch in games. Manager Bob Melvin said Luzardo won’t throw for two days before likely facing A’s hitters for the first time Monday.
“We’re still trying to figure out where we’re going to go with him,” Melvin said on a video call Friday afternoon. “I think based on the fact that he actually has been throwing we feel like if all goes well here the potential for him to be on the team right away is still there.”
Luzardo was projected as a key rotation member for the A’s this season. Melvin said Luzardo showed in a brief callup last September “that he has potential to be special.” Catcher Jonah Heim, who played with Luzardo at TripleA Las Vegas last season, said: “His stuff is unmatched, really.”
“What he comes at you with, his fastball which is upper 90s and his offspeed, it’s a great onetwo punch, “Heim said. “As a young guy he seems real composed on the mound and he has a routine every day and knows what he’s doing out there. So I’m excited to see what he puts up this year.”
With the A’s regularseason opener coming Friday, it’s unlikely Luzardo will begin the season in the rotation. But he could build up his pitch count from the bullpen, Melvin said, with Chris Bassitt starting the season in a rotation role.
“I think kind of the telltale for us will be when he throws to hitters on (Monday) — how he looks throwing to those guys,” Melvin said. “Adrenaline and the whole bit is there. Command is what we’re going to look for. My guess is the stuff will be good.”
Luzardo’s six A’s outings last season were all in relief and ranged from one to three innings. He said that experience will help if he opens this season in the bullpen.
“I think it’s huge actually,” Luzardo said. “I think that’s going to help me a lot, especially early. … I don’t know what the plan is yet but whatever comes my way I’m sure we’ll figure it out.”
Not being able to rejoin the A’s at first as MLB restarted following its shutdown, Luzardo said, was “definitely frustrating, just because I felt good and it was tough to see everyone back out there and having fun.
“When I’m out here, whether I’m playing catch or pitching in a game, it’s kind of an escape for me to get rid of all my problems and stop overthinking things. It was something that I needed and I lacked. But I’m glad to be back out here now.”