MIAMI -- Though Marlins left-hander Jesús Luzardo missed just two turns through the rotation due to a left flexor muscle strain, much was changed in his return to the mound.

Not only did the usually clean shaven southpaw sport facial hair, but he also debuted a new walkout song: John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” The way things have gone so far this season, Luzardo wanted to shake things up and hope for a different result.

While Luzardo looked more like the 2023 version of himself, the Marlins still lost to the Phillies, 8-3, on Saturday at loanDepot park. Luzardo matched a season high with eight strikeouts, 18 whiffs and just one walk. He permitted two runs on four hits.

During a breakout 2023 season, Luzardo posted a 126 ERA+ while setting career highs for categories such as strikeouts and innings. With ace Sandy Alcantara sidelined, Luzardo started Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series against Philadelphia.

Similar to how this year has gone for Miami (10-31) as a whole, Luzardo opened 2024 by recording a 65 ERA+ through five starts before he landed on the injured list.

“I felt really good the whole time. Even into the sixth, [I] felt strong,” Luzardo said. “Elbow felt good, body felt good, so just happy to get back out there and be able to rejoin the team. Besides my rehab start, I had times during the Cubs game [on April 20], but today I felt [in] control the whole time for the most part.”

The 26-year-old Luzardo took advantage of an aggressive Phillies lineup, needing just 22 pitches -- 19 strikes and three balls -- to complete the first two innings. He retired the first seven batters he faced before a two-strike hit to right by Cristian Pache, who was thrown out at third base later in the third.

Luzardo’s average four-seam velocity (95.8 mph) was nearly on par with his season marks, and his command set up his slider (six strikeouts) and changeup (one strikeout). By throwing the fastball in -- something lefty Trevor Rogers struggled to do in Friday’s loss -- Luzardo kept the Phillies honest.

“Oh, he had good stuff,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “He was pounding the zone. The slider was really good. He was getting a lot of chase with it. Yeah, he was really good."

But after Vidal Bruján broke a scoreless deadlock by ambushing Taijuan Walker’s cutter to open the fifth inning for a solo shot, Whit Merrifield knocked a one-out double in the sixth and J.T. Realmuto followed with a game-tying RBI single.

When Luzardo fanned Bryce Harper for the second time, manager Skip Schumaker turned to the bullpen with Luzardo at 79 pitches (57 strikes). Luzardo, who felt tightness in his elbow while playing catch on the off-day ahead of his scheduled April 26 start, made just one rehab start last Sunday for Triple-A Jacksonville.

“He looked great, but I'm not going to push him after an elbow injury and [the] first time after a rehab start of [67] pitches,” Schumaker said. “His next rehab start would have been in the 80 range, so I was not going to push him at all, and I felt good about [Anthony] Maldonado.”

With an inherited runner at first, the rookie right-hander loaded the bases on a single and a walk before surrendering a three-run triple to Bryson Stott. All Luzardo could do was watch from inside the dugout, as he was charged with another run to his line.

“That just can't happen,” said Maldonado, who entered with eight scoreless innings to open his MLB career. “I've got to get those guys. I've got to get the righties and make it not as hard on myself. I fell behind. I have to re-look at the pitch to Stott, see where I missed on that 2-2.”

Miami has dropped five in a row, and seven of eight since trading Luis Arraez. Luzardo’s performance was encouraging, and the Marlins have another arm returning. Southpaw Braxton Garrett will make his season debut in Sunday’s series finale after missing time with a left shoulder impingement.

“It was tough for me,” Luzardo said. “I think it's tough on everyone. No one likes the record and just kind of where we've been as a team. But it's a long season. We're only a month and a half in, and we've got a lot of season left to go, so you can't beat yourself up too much. There's more season left to play than we’ve played so far, so I think there's always time to turn it around.”