Marlins Star 'Single Player Most Likely To Be Traded,' Cardinals Perfect Match

St. Louis could desperately use a controllable starter

Scott Neville | May 31, 2024

Jun 29, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo (44) pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports / Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

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The St. Louis Cardinals appeared to be on a one-way track toward selling off key pieces at the upcoming Major League Baseball trade deadline after their second brutal start to the season in a row.

Unlike any point last season, however, St. Louis has ripped off 13 wins in a 16-game span to vault themselves back into the race. As it stands Thursday morning, the Cardinals are 27-27, tied for second in the National League Central and only a 1/2 game back of a wild card spot.

Should they remain in the race, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak will be looking to buy at the deadline as opposed to shipping off star power.

In doing so, adding a controllable starting pitcher should be atop the team's wish list. Fortunately, the Miami Marlins are inclined to offer up exactly what St. Louis should be searching for.

"(Jesús) Luzardo to me is the single player most likely to be traded," The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal said on "Foul Territory" Wednesday. "The Marlins are going to keep going. They traded Luis Arráez, they are going to trade Luzardo as long as he stays healthy -- he had that little flare-up physically earlier -- but he's gone."

Luzardo has a 4.18 ERA, 50-to-16 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .226 batting average against and a 1.14 WHIP in 51 2/3 innings through nine starts this season. His 3.63 FIP appears to be closer to what his ERA will become by season's end due to his low BAA and walk rates paired with an above-average strikeout rate.

The 26-year-old is under team control through 2026 and would be a perfect addition to the Cardinals given his ability to help them win games in the present while stabilizing the rotation for years to come.

The Cardinals' future rotation outlook beyond Sonny Gray for the next two seasons is pretty bleak -- and even he is 34 years old. 37-year-old Lance Lynn and 36-year-old Kyle Gibson have club options next season and the back end of the rotation is a complete mess.

Adding Luzardo into the mix would aid the Cardinals' current quest for a postseason spot while locking in a frontline starter for the next 2 1/2 seasons. The Marlins asking price will be high but Mozeliak is in no position to scoff at a controllable high-end starter on the trade market.

More MLB: Cardinals Pushing Into Contention, Could Pursue Pair Of Hurlers To Bolster Rotation

Published May 31, 2024

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the St. Louis Cardinals for FanNation's "Inside The Cardinals" on Sports Illustrated. Before starting "Inside The Cardinals", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join FanNation and the Sports Illustrated Media Group as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." After a few months as the top Major League Baseball site in the program, Neville sought expansion and pitched "Inside The Cardinals," one of the newest additions to FanNation and the Sports Illustrated Media Group. The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Cardinals" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu