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With their high-powered offense, the Baltimore Orioles are still one of the mightiest teams in MLB. But after two more pitching injuries, the Orioles must consider looking to outside the organization for help.
Once they do, the Miami Marlins are suited to be a likely trade suitor for Baltimore. Namely, Jesus Luzardo, who is considered the best starter on the trade block, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
Nightengale is more connecting the dots than actually reporting interest. However, this isn't the first time that the Orioles have been connected to Luzardo. At 21-39, the Marlins are poised to be sellers at the trade deadline barring an unexpected turnaround. When Luzardo is made available, Nightengale is amongst the many pundits who see the direct tie back to Baltimore.
The Orioles' need for pitching was made worse with the recent injuries to John Means and Tyler Wells. Means suffered a UCL injury in his elbow that will require him to go under surgery. Wells suffered the same exact injury and will undergo surgery to repair his UCL. Both are out for the season.
Baltimore still has talent in their rotation. Corbin Burnes has functioned as a true ace while players like Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez and Albert Suarez have flashed potential. Still, if the Orioles are series about competing for a World Series, another starter may be a prerequisite.
Luckily for them, a strong addition in Jesus Luzardo seems likely to be available come trade deadline.
What Jesus Luzardo offers Orioles
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If the Orioles were to acquire Luzardo, they'd have him for long beyond the end of 2024. Under team control through the 2026 season, Luzardo could be a key focal point in the rotation for years to come. In both the short and long-term, Luzardo would help solidify Baltimore's pitching.
Through his nine starts in 2024, Luzardo holds a 2-4 record with a 4.18 ERA and a 50/16 K/BB ratio. He seems to be finding his stride, as the left hander hasn't allowed more than three runs in his past five outings. All of them saw him record at least four strikeouts.
Firepower has never been an issue for Luzardo, as he runs up a career-high 208 batters in 2023. It came with a 3.58 ERA and marked his second-straight sub 4.00 ERA season as he registered a 3.32 in 2022. Over his entire six-year MLB career, Luzardo has put up a 25-32 record with a 4.18 ERA 551/174 K/BB ratio.
The Orioles have more than enough ammunition to swing a trade. While many of the franchise's top prospects have reached the majors, the farm system is still filled with future potential stars. Baltimore holds four top prospects within the top 30 in baseball, via MLB Pipeline. There's no telling if it would require one to acquire Luzardo, regardless, the O's what it takes to get a deal done.
At 37-20, the Orioles are proving that 2023's AL East championship wasn't a fluke. But if they want to make a deeper playoff run, Baltimore will need pitching. As it stands, Jesus Luzardo seems like the most likely candidate to aid the Orioles' postseason hopes at the trade deadline.
