The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired Miami Marlins lefty Jesus Luzardo in a trade that involves prospects Starlyn Caba and Emaarion Boyd going to the Marlins, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. The Phillies will also acquire minor league catcher Paul McIntosh in the trade.
Philadelphia already boasts one of the best rotations in MLB and will only get stronger if Luzardo returns to his form from a couple years ago. Luzardo is set to slot in as the No. 5 starter in Philly behind Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Christopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez.
Luzardo struggled to start his career with the Oakland Athletics but then blossomed into an ace in Miami. The lefty’s initial breakout came in 2022 when he struck out 120 batters in 100 1/3 innings while boasting a 3.32 ERA. Then in 2023, he struck out 208 hitters in 178 2/3 innings with a 3.58 ERA.
Unfortunately, Luzardo took a major step back in 2024 as he dealt with injury problems. The 27-year-old only pitched 66 2/3 innings and had an ERA of 5.00. His strikeout rate also took a major dip with just 58 punchouts.
The Marlins held trade negotiations on Luzardo with the Chicago Cubs, but those fell apart. Now, the Phillies are betting on Luzardo returning to that form of 2022 and 2023. The 19-year-old Caba was the No. 4 prospect in the organization, according to MLB Pipeline, so Miami is getting a prized young player in this trade. Meanwhile, Boyd was at No. 23 on the list.
What’s next for Phillies?
Jesus Luzardo has two years left of club control and is set to make about $6 million in 2025 through salary arbitration. With Luzardo in the fold, will Philadelphia look to trade any pitching to help bolster a lineup that struggled in the NLDS loss to the New York Mets?
Gelb notes the Phillies could look to trade Ranger Suarez for a hitter ahead of his free agency, but he also says that likely won’t happen and the franchise will “lean into run prevention.” Philadelphia’s starters ranked No. 8 in ERA in 2024.
When it comes to the lineup, the Phillies did just sign Max Kepler to a one-year deal. There have been trade rumors surrounding Alec Bohm and Nick Castellanos, but nothing has come to fruition yet. There’s still plenty of hitting talent in place with Bryce Harper leading the way, but the way Philadelphia struggled in that playoff series has had them seeking changes.
Whatever else happens, the Phillies are set to have one of the most expensive rosters in baseball as they enter 2025 with World Series expectations.
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