He was drafted in the third round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft by the Washington Nationals, making him the first Peru-born player drafted by an MLB team since at least 1990. Luzardo tore his ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching arm and underwent Tommy John surgery, performed by Dr. James Andrews, in March 2016. The Nationals, who drafted him, were known for taking chances on players who had already undergone or needed to have Tommy John surgery, and they committed to completing his rehabilitation. Luzardo forwent a commitment to the University of Miami to sign with the organization. Luzardo made his professional debut on June 28, 2017, with the GCL Nationals against the GCL Marlins, reportedly hitting with his fastball.
Oakland Athletics
The Nationals traded Luzardo, Sheldon Neuse, and Blake Treinen to the Oakland Athletics on July 16, 2017, for Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson. After joining Oakland, he played for the Arizona League Athletics and the Vermont Lake Monsters. In 12 total games between the Nationals, Athletics, and Lake Monsters, he posted a 2–1 record with a 1.66 ERA with 48 strikeouts in innings. Luzardo was ranked among the top prospects in the minor leagues prior to 2018. He started the season with the Stockton Ports and was promoted to the Double-A Midland RockHounds early on in the season. He made his Triple-A debut with the Nashville Sounds on August 6.. Across three levels in 2018, Luzardo combined for a 10–5 record with a 2.88 ERA and 129 strikeouts. His performance was recognized by being named to the Texas League's mid and post-season All-Star teams and being selected to participate in the All-Star Futures Game. Entering 2019, Luzardo was in competition for a spot on the A's Opening Day roster. In innings over 4 spring starts, he held batters to 2 hits and 4 walks while striking out 15. A strained left rotator cuff late in spring training resulted in him being shut down and missing the start of the season. On June 11, 2019, Luzardo returned to the mound with Class A-Advanced Stockton, and allowed one run over seven innings spanning two outings with 11 strikeouts before being promoted to Triple A-Las Vegas. Unfortunately, he exited his third outing in Las Vegas with a lat strain, putting his plans to join the A's rotation on hold. The Athletics selected Luzardo's contract and promoted him to the major leagues on September 9, 2019. He made his major league debut on September 11 versus the Houston Astros, pitching three innings in relief. He appeared in 6 games in September for Oakland. On July 7, 2020, it was announced that Luzardo had tested positive for COVID-19.
