Dec. 16: Bruce Levine of 670 The Rating stated in an look on the Mully & Haugh present this morning that the Cubs and Marlins have been engaged on a possible Luzardo deal for a while now (audio hyperlink, Luzardo discuss at 7:37am mark). Levine provides {that a} commerce for Luzardo is one thing the Cubs “would love to get completed … within the subsequent few days.”
That, in fact, doesn’t essentially point out {that a} commerce is shut in the mean time, but it surely’s nonetheless notable that the 2 events are in ongoing discussions and that the Cubs really feel strongly about attempting to push one thing throughout the end line.
Dec. 14: The Cubs already added Matthew Boyd to their rotation this winter however stay desirous about including one other outstanding identify (if not somebody on the high of the free agent market) to a starter group that already contains Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, and Jameson Taillon as the highest three. Such commerce and free agent targets as Luis Castillo and Walker Buehler have been linked to Chicago already, and USA At the moment’s Bob Nightengale stories that the Cubs have additionally proven curiosity in Marlins left-hander Jesus Luzardo.
Stories surfaced through the Winter Conferences about some groups checking in on Luzardo’s companies, because it may very well be that groups had been investigating a buy-low risk. Luzardo has been talked about as a possible commerce candidate even earlier than the Marlins entered their newest teardown, and had he been wholesome in 2024, it’s fairly potential he would’ve already been shipped off to a distinct crew previous to the final commerce deadline. Sadly for Luzardo and the Marlins, he was restricted to 12 begins and 66 2/3 innings because of elbow issues and repeated again issues, together with as a stress response in his decrease again.
Accidents have basically been the story of Luzardo’s profession over his six Main League seasons with the A’s and Marlins. He has 512 innings pitched throughout components of these six seasons, with 178 2/3 of these frames coming in 2023. Luzardo’s profession 4.29 ERA contains lots of peaks and valleys, with struggles in 2021 and 2024 undermining his in any other case above-average numbers.
The inconsistency resulted in reducing Luzardo’s price ticket as he entered his arbitration years, and MLBTR tasks him to earn $6MM this winter in his second of three arb-eligible seasons. If he can replicate his 2023 type, his 2025-26 salaries can be a major cut price for the Marlins or no matter crew Luzardo is pitching for, and he’s solely coming into his age-27 season.
The upside right here is apparent, besides the plain concern for any groups is that they don’t know what model of Luzardo will present up in 2025. This might make it arduous for Miami to land on an appropriate commerce package deal with the Cubs or every other crew, just because the Marlins naturally need to get as a lot as they will in return for one in every of their high commerce chips. Ready till the deadline is perhaps the wiser tack for Peter Bendix’s entrance workplace, as whereas Luzardo runs the chance of getting damage once more, a wholesome and efficient first half would restore his commerce worth.
670 The Rating’s Bruce Levine stories that Miami is searching for a “younger controllable bat again” in a Luzardo deal, and means that the Cubs must surrender a high prospect like Owen Caissie or James Triantos. Contemplating these two are each inside the high 55 of MLB Pipeline’s rankings of the highest minor leaguers in all of baseball, it will be daring on Chicago’s half to maneuver Caissie or Triantos for an injury-prone pitcher coming off a 5.00 ERA season.
Then once more, the Marlins scored a pleasant commerce package deal for an additional oft-injured, inconsistent pitcher on the final deadline when they obtained Connor Norby and Kyle Stowers from the Orioles for Trevor Rogers. Whereas the deal raised eyebrows on the time, it underscored the worth that groups placed on controllable pitching. After all, the truth that Rogers closely struggled after the commerce to Baltimore additionally highlights the chance concerned in such trades. The Cubs have already proven their aggression this winter by buying and selling for Kyle Tucker, and is perhaps keen to dip into their deep farm system once more in an effort to make a probably big rotation improve. Assuming that the likes of Caissie or Triandos are even on the desk in potential trades, Chicago may desire to decide to maneuver these sorts of prospects just for a extra dependable pitcher.