Getty The Orioles have some questionable rotation depth heading into 2024. Trading for Jesus Luzardo would fix that.
The Baltimore Orioles made a huge upgrade to their starting rotation this offseason by acquiring Corbin Burnes in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. If they need more help ahead of the trade deadline, could Miami Marlins hurler Jesus Luzardo be a realistic target?
Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller thinks it’s a possibility. While predicting midseason landing spots for top trade targets on February 26, he has Baltimore landing the 26-year-old southpaw.
“Without actually drawing up a theoretical trade package for y’all to get mad about, let’s just say there’s not enough room for Baltimore’s entire stockpile of quality position players to get regular playing time,” he said. “And if they can turn a few of those bats not named Jackson Holliday, Gunnar Henderson or Adley Rutschman into three years of one of the most lethal left-handed starting pitchers in the game today, why not?”
Luzardo will make $5.5 million in 2024 with the Marlins. He’s also under team control through the 2026 season. So if he’s dealt before the deadline, the team that acquires him will be getting two-plus years of the hurler in their starting rotation.
Luzardo Has Been Consistently Productive Since 2022
The southpaw landed in South Beach at the 2021 trade deadline when the Marlins acquired him by sending outfielder Starling Marte to the Oakland A’s. Luzardo was in the midst of a rough campaign, which continued with the Marlins. He posted a 6.87 ERA in 38 innings before the trade and a 6.44 ERA in 57.1 innings after the trade.
He’s certainly found his stride since the start of 2022. Luzardo has started 50 games and compiled 279 innings in the process. Despite a 14-16 record, it’s been accompanied by a 3.52 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 328 strikeouts.
The hurler’s 2023 campaign was especially notable for a couple of reasons. He started 32 games for the Marlins, which led to 178.2 innings pitched. Both of those numbers were easily single-season career-high marks. His previous highs in both categories were 18 and 100.1, respectively.
Can the Orioles Repeat as AL East Champs in 2024?
The Orioles went through a painful rebuild between 2018 and 2021. In the three full seasons on the schedule (2018, 2019 and 2021), Baltimore didn’t lose fewer than 108 games. They got a glimpse of the future in 2022 by producing an 83-79 record, but it went to another level in 2023.
They edged out the Tampa Bay Rays for the American League East title with a 101-61 record. It was their first division title since 2014. It was also the club’s first 100-win campaign since 1980. Baltimore’s trip to the postseason was abbreviated since they were swept out of the ALDS by the Texas Rangers. But with a young roster and loaded farm system, the future is looking bright.
Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA projections don’t think 2024 will be the Orioles’ year, though. They’re predicting an 86-win season, resulting in a fourth-place finish. FanGraphs is also skeptical about manager Brandon Hyde’s squad. While their projections give the Orioles a 51% chance of returning to the postseason, it also comes with an 83.9-win projection.
Baltimore won a highly competitive AL East in 2023. It will soon be their turn to either prove the projections right or prove them wrong. If they’re in the mix once summer hits and the Marlins aren’t, Luzardo would be an intriguing target for them to pursue.