Blockbuster Mets Trade Idea Sends Projected $90 Million Ace to Queens

Getty Mets manager Carlos Mendoza could use another frontline starting pitcher. Could New York swing a deal for Jesus Luzardo before the deadline?

The New York Mets revamped their starting rotation ahead of the 2024 season. Could president of baseball operations David Stearns add to it by acquiring left-handed hurler Jesus Luzardo from the Miami Marlins before the trade deadline?

During an April 11 live stream for Bleacher Report, Tyler Ward shared an idea to potentially bring Luzardo to Queens. It involves the following:

• Mets receive: starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo
• Marlins receive: infielder Mark Vientos or infielder Ronny Mauricio, plus pitching and infield prospects

Upon taking over the club’s baseball ops this past offseason, Stearns worked on changing the roster. While Kodai Senga and Jose Quintana were 2023 starting rotation holdovers, they were joined by newcomers Luis Severino, Sean Manaea and Adrian Houser.

New York has started the year without Senga, who is working back from a shoulder strain. He won’t be activated until at least the end of May after getting transferred to the 60-day IL. So, landing Luzardo would help the top of the Mets’ rotation right now and give them a solid one-two punch once Senga returns.

The Marlins are already looking like sellers thanks to a 2-11 start. Luzardo is making just $5.5 million this year, per Spotrac. The Athletic’s Tim Britton also projected the southpaw’s extension value at six years and $90 million on March 5.

How Jesus Luzardo Can Stabilize the New York Mets’ Rotation

Stearns’ approach to building his 2024 rotation was clear. After posting a 2.98 ERA in 166.1 innings as a rookie in 2023, Senga was viewed as the staff ace. The Mets’ front office also had no interest in handing out long-term deals to hurlers not named Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Senga is in the second season of a five-year, $75 million deal. However, he has the ability to opt-out after 2025. Manaea signed a two-year, $28 million deal this past winter, but his 2025 contract is also a player option. While Severino signed a one-year deal in November, Houser was acquired via trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. Coincidentally enough, 2024 is also his last year before hitting free agency.

Even if the Mets didn’t sign Luzardo to a long-term contract extension, his presence would give much-needed frontline rotation stability in 2024 and 2025. He isn’t projected to hit free agency until after the 2025 campaign. The southpaw has posted a 7.20 ERA through his first 15 innings this season. However, that number was down at 3.48 between 2022 and 2023 (279 innings pitched), per Baseball Reference.

Adding Jesus Luzardo Would Allow the New York Mets to Spend Elsewhere Next Winter

Stearns made plenty of moves ahead of 2024, but many didn’t grab major headlines. Manaea’s deal was the only multi-year contract handed out by New York. It seems like the club is gearing up for an expensive offseason next winter, though.

The two biggest rumored targets for the Mets include trying to re-sign first baseman Pete Alonso and wooing New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto from the Bronx to Queens. Based on current contract projections, that could cost team owner Steve Cohen upwards of $700 million. Money doesn’t seem to be an obstacle in the organization’s pursuit of these two sluggers.

“I bet he goes for both,” one league executive who knows Cohen (but doesn’t work for the team) told SNY’s Andy Martino in a February 18 report.

Pairing Luzardo with Senga at the top of New York’s rotation would make it easier for Stearns to potentially focus his energy on Alonso and Soto once free agency opens in November.