Chicago Cubs Reportedly Have Trade Interest in Marlins Ace Jesús Luzardo

The Chicago Cubs are reported to have trade interest in Marlins lefty Jesús Luzardo as they continue to make big moves.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs are apparently not done making moves after the huge trade on Friday to acquire Houston Astros superstar right fielder Kyle Tucker.

After not being in on the top free agent pitchers despite reports headed into the offseason that they were going to look to add pitching both to the rotation and to the bullpen, reports have now emerged that the Cubs have trade interest in Miami Marlins left-handed pitcher Jesús Luzardo via trade.

MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported after Chicago's signing of veteran catcher Carson Kelly, they are still trying to move Cody Bellinger as well as being interested in Luzardo.

As deals like Max Fried's $218 million monster with the New York Yankees and Blake Snell headed to the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers occurred ahead of and during the Winter Meetings, the Cubs stood pat for the most part in the pitching market after signing veteran Matthew Boyd and trading for Eli Morgan.

But it looks like Jed Hoyer may have had other plans in mind as he continues to comb the trade market to build a contender rather than bidding massive amounts of money on the best free agents.

Luzardo is just 27 years old and still under team control for the next two seasons, projected to receive roughly $6 million in arbitration this upcoming campaign coming off a rough 2024 in which he made just 12 unremarkable starts.

Posting a 5.00 ERA with a strikeout rate that was the lowest of his career, Luzardo was shut down for the year in June with a lumbar stress reaction.

But his last full healthy season in 2023 was that of someone who is beyond capabale of helping Chicago's rotation with a 3.58 ERA in a career-high 178.2 innings pitched with 208 strikeouts.

His name was tossed around at last year's trade deadline, but ultimately no one was willing to pay the steep price for the season he was having.

Now, a year-and-a-half later, the price for Luzardo should be much more reasonable coming off a rather ineffective and injury-riddled season.

While that factor brings obvious risk, it's something worth taking for a high-upside young starting pitcher with two full years of affordable control attached to him.

Keep an eye on the Cubs and the trade market for starting pitching in the coming weeks.

It sure sounds like Hoyer wants to add to his rotation and it would not be a surprise to see him do just that in the near future.