Phillies' Jesus Luzardo To Be First Pitcher Named ‘Jesus' to Pitch on Easter
MLB has been around for well over 100 years, and with such a storied history, it is rare for a feat to occur for the first time in history. But on April 20th, 2025, Philadelphia Phillies starter Jesus Luzardo is set to make MLB history.
Luzardo is scheduled to face his former team, the Miami Marlins, during the third game of the first Phillies-Marlins series of the season. That game is scheduled for April 20th, which also happens to be Easter Sunday.
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It's a coincidence that Jesus Luzardo is expected to start on Easter Sunday, but even Phillies beat reporter Matt Gelb of The Athletic noticed the coincidence. The coincidence of 'Jesus' starting on Easter sparked intrigue about whether there was any other pitcher named 'Jesus' who got a chance to pitch on Easter.
According to research done through the Baseball-Reference.com database, of MLB players with 'Jesus' in their name, only 13 are pitchers. Of those 13, none have pitched on Easter.
When Jesus Luzardo throws his first pitch during the Phillies-Marlins game on Easter Sunday, he will be the first and only player named 'Jesus' to pitch on Easter.
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo (44) pitches in the rain against the Atlanta Braves in the sixth inning at Truist Park.Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Major League Baseball has been around for nearly two centuries, but on Easter Sunday in 2025, Luzardo will do something no other player has ever done before. Luzardo getting the chance to pitch on Easter is already wild enough, but it gets even stranger as one of the 12 other pitchers named 'Jesus' is on the Marlins, and could also pitch on Easter Sunday.
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Marlins right-handed reliever Jesus Tinoco has a chance to pitch on Easter Sunday, and could be the second ever player named 'Jesus' to pitch on Easter. It would be a major coincidence that on the same day that a player named 'Jesus' pitches on Easter for the first time, another pitcher during the same game named 'Jesus' pitches on Easter.
With Luzardo's success since joining the Phillies, he is in a prime position to rise to the occasion and put together a great performance against his former team. The Phillies acquired Luzardo from the Marlins in the offseason for two prospects.
Since joining the Phillies, Luzardo has been great. He has a 2.31 ERA, two wins, no losses, 29 strikeouts to just seven walks in 23 and one-third innings pitched. Luzardo will face his former team for the first time, while making MLB history as the first pitcher named 'Jesus' to pitch on Easter.
Related: Former Phillies Outfielder Co-Owns a Kentucky Derby Horse
Related: Phillies' Aaron Nola Comments on Terrible Start, 'It's Unacceptable'
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