Jesús Luzardo turns in another clunker in Phillies’ loss to Blue Jays

Trea Turner, looking somewhat like a wide receiver tracking a deep ball from a quarterback, kept going. In reality, the Phillies shortstop, with his back turned to the infield, was inching deeper and deeper into left field with every step as he tracked a fly ball off the bat of Tyler Heineman. The ball, as it made its way toward Turner’s glove, eventually bounced off, landing on the outfield turf and rolling away from Turner and past Max Kepler. The play was ruled a single. Two runs scored.

Heineman was the final batter Jesús Luzardo would face on Thursday afternoon at Rogers Center in Toronto, the site of an eventual 9-1 Phillies loss to the Blue Jays. The two runs that scored on Heineman’s third-inning hit were the seventh and eighth of the afternoon for the Blue Jays.

It was a game manager Rob Thomson and his club would probably like to forget. But it’ll be hard; questions now surround Luzardo.

The left-hander’s eight earned runs allowed on Thursday followed a career-worst start. Five days ago, Luzardo allowed 12 earned runs to the Milwaukee Brewers at Citizens Bank Park. His ERA heading into last weekend was 2.15. Now, it’s 4.46.

After a quiet first inning, the Blue Jays plated four runs in the second against Luzardo. The first came on a double by Myles Straw that split the right-center field gap. Straw later scored on a double, this one into left-center field, by Heineman. Two more runs touched home after Bo Bichette walloped a first-pitch sweeper over the right-center field wall for a home run.

A single, double and walk by Alejandro Kirk, Ernie Clement and Davis Scheinder loaded the bases with one out in the fourth for Toronto. Straw then lined a 0-1 sinker from Luzardo into right field for a two-RBI single. Two batters later, Heineman delivered the knockout punch.

Luzardo left some pitches over the plate. The Blue Jays didn’t look fooled. Toronto hit the Phillies’ starting pitcher hard. Six of the nine hits Luzardo allowed had exit velocities north of 90 mph. Bichette’s home run was hit the hardest (106.6 mph). Heineman’s single, the softest (70.5 mph).

With a second straight clunker of a start, Luzardo finds himself on the wrong side of history. According to MLB.com’s Paul Casella, Luzardo is the first pitcher in MLB history to allow 20 or more earned runs in fewer than six innings pitched in a span of two starts. His start last Saturday lasted 3 1/3 innings. He was sent to the showers after 2 1/3 innings on Thursday.

“That’s what they pay us for, being able to just flush outings like that,” Luzardo said last Saturday. The left-hander will have to do more flushing after Thursday.

The Phillies’ loss resulted in a series loss to the Blue Jays. They’ll now head to Pittsburgh for a three-game set against the Pirates.

With rain in the forecast, Friday’s scheduled game at PNC Park could be difficult for the road team. Before their loss on Thursday, Thomson told reporters, including The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, that the Phillies plan to go with a bullpen game on Friday as Zack Wheeler remains on the paternity list. The Phillies used two multi-inning relievers — Max Lazar and Seth Johnson — on Thursday after Luzardo’s exit, complicating things a little further. Game 1 against the Pirates could be all-hands-on-deck.