The Marlins are getting calls on starter Jesús Luzardo, reviews Jon Morosi of the MLB Community (X hyperlink). Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of the Athletic write that the Fish are prepared to entertain commerce talks on the proficient southpaw.
On the one hand, a staff in a full rebuild like Miami goes to be open to discussing basically each veteran participant. Luzardo is a tricky commerce candidate, although, because the Marlins are purchasing him whereas his worth is at a low level. His ’24 marketing campaign was roughly decimated by harm. Luzardo went on the injured record in the midst of April with elbow irritation. He returned in Could however was shelved once more 5 weeks later by again points. That not solely took him off the desk as a deadline commerce candidate, it ended his season. Luzardo was identified with a stress response in his decrease again and couldn’t return to the mound.
Neither harm required surgical procedure and Luzardo was capable of start non-throwing baseball actions by the top of the common season. There’s no indication he received’t be full go for Spring Coaching. Nonetheless, there’s little doubt that buying groups are going to account for the harm danger as they weigh what to supply Miami.
Luzardo has spent lots of time on the IL over his profession. He fractured his throwing hand in 2021 and misplaced a great portion of the ’22 season to a forearm pressure. He additionally has a Tommy John surgical procedure on his medical chart courting again to highschool in 2016. He has solely topped 100 1/3 innings in an MLB season as soon as.
That lone wholesome marketing campaign provided tantalizing upside. Luzardo took a full 32 turns by means of the rotation in 2023. He fired 178 2/3 frames of three.58 ERA ball whereas punching out 28.1% of opposing hitters. He averaged practically 97 MPH on his fastball, missed bats with each his slider and changeup, and restricted his walks to a strong 7.4% clip.
That model of Luzardo was a #2 or high-end #3 starter, the type of pitcher a staff would fortunately plug into their playoff rotation. Luzardo didn’t present that kind final yr even when he was capable of take the mound. He allowed 5 earned runs per 9 with a diminished 21.2% strikeout price in 66 2/3 frames. He nonetheless posted plus whiff charges on his secondary pitches, however his common fastball velocity dipped to 95.2 MPH and opponents teed off on it.
There’s apparent enchantment for contenders to aim to purchase low. Luzardo is below arbitration management for 2 seasons. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz tasks him for a $6MM wage. That’s a cut price compared to a free agent market the place a rebound candidate like Frankie Montas signed for $17MM yearly and mid-rotation arms Yusei Kikuchi and Luis Severino landed greater than $20MM per season on three-year offers.
Miami doesn’t have as a lot urgency to make a sell-low commerce. Luzardo received’t make the distinction between them contending for a postseason spot or not, however a powerful first half might rehabilitate his worth. If he demonstrates his 2023 kind for 3 months, Luzardo would arguably be the largest commerce chip of the ’25 deadline. In the perfect case situation, Miami might realistically search a number of High 100 sort prospects subsequent summer time. If he struggles or suffers one other vital harm, in fact, no matter commerce worth he at the moment has would principally evaporate.
It’s largely a matter of danger tolerance for president of baseball operations Peter Bendix and his employees. The Fish have little or no on the books for subsequent season, so that they’re not below any monetary strain to maneuver Luzardo. He’ll be the highest-paid member of their in any other case modest arbitration class. They’re nonetheless on the hook for $17MM (together with an choice buyout) to launched outfielder Avisaíl García. The one different participant on a assured deal is ace Sandy Alcantara, who’ll make $17MM subsequent yr. The Marlins reportedly knowledgeable Alcantara in August that that they had no intention of buying and selling him this offseason.
