There was only one team Jesús Luzardo was interested in pitching for at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and it wasn’t the United States.
According to MLB writer Daniel Álvarez-Montes, Luzardo received an invitation from the United States to pitch in the WBC. He declined it, saying, “I would only pitch for Venezuela.”
While the Phillies starter isn’t currently on Venezuela’s roster, he said he has remained in contact with manager Omar López, and could join the team based on how his spring training debut goes this week.
Luzardo was born in Lima, Peru, to Venezuelan parents. The family moved to the United States when he was 2 years old, and he grew up in South Florida, attending Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. The Nationals selected him with a third-round pick in the 2016 MLB draft.
Given all that’s gone on between the United States and Venezuela over the past few months, this is a fascinating tug-of-war for his services.
The 28-year-old lefty was excellent in 2025, his first season in Philadelphia. He went 15-7, with a. 3.92 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, and 216 strikeouts in 183 2/3 innings. He also had a full-season career-low FIP of 2.90 and a career-best 5.3 fWAR.
Team USA’s pitching staff is set to be loaded. Reigning Cy Young award winners Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes will lead it off, but Skubal will only pitch one game, while Skenes is scheduled for two. After that, Logan Webb, Joe Ryan, and Matthew Boyd are options, as is young Mets starter Nolan McLean. It would have been nice to add an experienced lefty like Luzardo, but he may not have actually gotten a start for the U.S.
Venezuela will feature a deep roster led by Ronald Acuña Jr., Jackson Chourio, and Salvador Perez. On the mount, Ranger Suarez and Eduardo Rodriguez project as the top two starters, so Luzardo would be a welcome addition.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jesús Luzardo Snubbed Team USA WBC Invite, Pledges Loyalty to Venezuela.
