Phillies are acquiring left-hander Jesus Luzardo via the Marlins, according to Fanside’s Robert Murray. Marlins to acquire shortstop prospect, per Craig Mish of the Miami Herald Starlink Kabah and outfield prospects Emarion Boyd in transaction. Matt Gelb of The Athletic adds Phillies are taking minor league catchers Paul McIntosh Join Luzardo on the deal.
Luzardo, 27, is coming off a lost season, but as recently as last winter he was one of the most coveted starters on the trade market. The lefty made just 12 starts in 2024 due to a stress reaction in his lower back, and struggled when he was healthy enough to take the mound with a 5.00 ERA (91 ERA+) in 66 2/3 innings. While Luzardo maintains a solid 8% walk rate, his 21.2% strikeout rate is well below his career standards, and his fastball velocity is more than double what it was in 2023.
However, even with these shortcomings, it’s easy to see why Luzardo would be an attractive addition to the Phillies rotation. In 279 innings with the Marlins from 2022-23, Luzardo dominated with a 3.48 ERA (129 ERA+) and 3.40 FIP. His average fastball velocity of 96.7 mph ranks near the top among left-handed starters, while his 28.7 percent strikeout rate ranks eighth among starters with at least 250 innings pitched, sandwiched between Dylan Seth and Sean McClanahan.
While there’s no guarantee Luzardo can rediscover the ace level he showed prior to his injury season in 2024, the Phillies don’t need to rely on his front-end production. Instead, Luzardo joins an incredibly deep Phillies rotation that already features Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nora, rangers suarezand Christopher Sanchez. Even a fully healthy and productive Luzardo would be the No. 2 starter in the rotation between Wheeler and Nola, and even if the lefty only pitches to the outside (4.23 FIP, 4.33 SIERA), he’s set for an injured 2024 season Having Nakaya play will be a clear upgrade. Tyjuan WalkerLast season, he pitched to an ugly 7.10 ERA in 83 2/3 innings.
It’s known the Phillies are interested in adding rotation help this winter, though that’s widely expected to come in the form of a depth player who can pitch out of the bullpen or have Walker compete for the fifth starting spot, which would go against the club’s right winger. signature of skimmer Spencer Turnbull last winter. However, acquiring a player with Luzardo’s talent and pedigree is clearly well beyond that and would certainly push Walker into a long-term backup role when the season begins if the rest of the rotation is healthy. The addition of Luzardo also alleviates the club’s long-term need for rotation help, as he will be under team control for the next two seasons. With Suarez scheduled to become a free agent after the 2025 season, the addition of Luzardo could leave the Phillies relying on some combination of Walker and top prospects Andrew Painter Complete the 2026 rotation. That delays the need for additional starters until the 2026-27 offseason, when both Walker and Luzardo himself will be eligible to become free agents.
For now, though, Luzardo is a cost-effective addition to the Phillies rotation who is expected to significantly increase the team’s already impressive ceiling. MLBTR writer Matt Swartz projects Luzardo’s arbitration salary in 2025 to be just $6 million, a figure that would push the Phillies’ payroll to $285 million, while their luxury tax payroll would be raised to $285 million per RosterResource $304 million.值得注意的是，這使得他們超過了下賽季最高的301MM 稅收門檻，屆時俱樂部將對超過301MM 美元的任何超額部分徵收110% 的稅率，此外他們在2026 年選秀中的最高選秀權被推遲了10 Bit.
In terms of actual financial costs, then, taking Luzardo into consideration would cost the Phillies close to $10.5MM between the lefty’s salary and the tax bill that comes with it. This is an unprecedented level of spending for Philly, and it’s unclear how much wiggle room the club will have as it seeks further upgrades. Perhaps that’s why president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said the club was unlikely to make further major additions earlier this week, with a pitching swingman and a reliever in the bullpen. Highlighted as the club’s remaining priority. Of course, the addition of Luzardo may eliminate the need for a swingman, as Walker will fill that role.
More coming soon…
