Orioles could go back to the well with this potential Marlins trade

Last year, Orioles GM Mike Elias made a deal to acquire a left handed pitcher from the Marlins at the trade deadline. Trevor Rogers was coming back from a biceps injury and a lat strain, and unfortunately wasn't able to hold up his end of the bargain after landing in Baltimore.

Heading into 2025, the Orioles are again in need of starting pitchers. Is it possible they go back to the well with Miami to acquire another oft-injured, high upside left-handed starter? John Conahan of Sports Illustrated noted that the Marlins could potentially make Jesus Luzardo available this winter and if they do, it could make sense for the Orioles to pursue him in a trade.

A stress reaction in his lower back held Luzardo to just 66.2 innings in 2024. He wasn't very effective while he was on the mound, and the injury was clearly a big part of the issue. His velocity was down a tick and he wasn't able to miss bats with his fastball. All of that led to a 5.00 ERA and a discouraging 4.26 FIP.

While 2024 didn't go well, Luzardo was seen as a top asset in 2023, and for good reason. He threw 178.2 exceptional innings, posting a 3.58 ERA with a 3.55 FIP, a 28% strikeout rate, and a solid 7.4% walk rate. He wasn't able to keep that pace in 2024 but all reports indicate that he's had enough time to recover and should be back to 100% for Opening Day in 2025.

Could Orioles potentially target Marlins' lefty Jesus Luzardo this winter?

If the Orioles want to trade for a starter, they could do worse than going after Luzardo. While there are top options out there, like Max Fried, Blake Snell, and Corbin Burnes, all of those guys will be fairly expensive. And while the White Sox are expected to trade lefty Garrett Crochet, there are several reasons why the O's should be out on him.

Luzardo has two more years of arbitration eligibility, and he's projected to earn just $6 million in 2025. There's a ton of value in that level of team control, and the Marlins aren't about to give him away for nothing. However, trying to buy-low on Luzardo could pay off depending on how many other teams are in on him.

At the end of the day, it'll be up to Peter Bendix and the Marlins on whether they want to move on from Luzardo. They won't be good in 2025, and probably not in 2026 either. It might make sense to move Luzardo now in order to recoup value for him and focus on getting playing time to younger guys who have a chance to be part of the next Miami core a few years down the road.