The Los Angeles Dodgers made substantial additions to their starting rotation at the start of the season, by signing Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and acquiring Tyler Glasnow from the Tampa Bay Rays, while also agreeing to bring back Clayton Kershaw and more.
But despite these moves, their strong rotation is still overshadowed by the injury histories of Kershaw, James Paxton, Walker Buehler and others. As a result, Zachary Rymer of Bleacher Report suggested that the team could make a trade for Jesús Luzardo, a young and relatively durable starting pitcher for the Miami Marlins.
“The Dodgers should consider Luzardo for two reasons,” Rymer explained. “Firstly, they are always inclined to make any improvements. Secondly, there are concerns about the number of innings the current rotation will pitch on an individual level. This is less of a worry with Luzardo after he pitched 178.2 innings in 2023.”
Rymer specifically proposed that the Dodgers trade infielder Miguel Vargas and prospects Dalton Rushing and Josue De Paula in order to acquire Luzardo.
“Vargas has been somewhat overlooked, but he’s been performing well (1.255 OPS, 3 HR) at Triple-A this season,” Rymer added. “Rushing would have more opportunities in Miami than in Los Angeles, where he's competing with Freddie Freeman and Will Smith.”
The Miami Marlins Seem Ready to Trade Jesús Luzardo
The Marlins are contemplating trades for appealing players like Luzardo and Luis Arraez following their trade of Jon Berti to the New York Yankees, according to a report from The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Dennis Lin.
“No, it’s not too early to consider the Miami Marlins as potential sellers at the trade deadline, especially when they have already traded one veteran player and entertained offers for some of their major stars,” they stated. “Luis Arraez, 27, and left-hander Jesús Luzardo, 26, are more valuable assets. The Marlins resisted trading both before Opening Day. However, if their performance does not improve, first-year general manager Peter Bendix will likely be more inclined to dismantle his roster.”
Jesús Luzardo Has $90 Million Talent With a $5.5 Million Salary for This Season
Luzardo would be a highly attractive trade asset as he is owed just $5.5 million for the 2024 season and will remain eligible for arbitration until 2027, preventing him from entering free agency.
But in a six-year career, the 26-year-old left-handed pitcher has shown much more value than his annual salary suggests, with a career 4.19 ERA and 32 starts last season. Tim Britton of The Athletic estimated that Luzardo is deserving of a $90 million extension over six years, comparing him to Minnesota Twins ace Pablo López, who signed a four-year, $73.5 million deal last year.
“If we focus on his recent performances, he could reach the level of former teammate Pablo López,” Britton wrote. “López’s contract valued his free-agent years, which also started at age 29, at about $21 million each.”
The Dodgers have a strong farm system, and Rymer’s proposal would see them part with two of their best four prospects. But if they manage to make such a trade, they would increase the young talent in a pitching staff that aims to have a successful postseason.
