Just their large deal for Corbin Burnes may not be enough to satisfy the Baltimore Orioles.
The Miami Marlins lefty Jesus Luzardo could be acquired by the Orioles, according to a Sunday essay by Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. According to Nightengale, Baltimore and Miami had lengthy discussions about Luzardo over the winter, and given the recent health issues in their rotation, they could now revisit the matter. Due to elbow injuries, both starters John Means and Kyle Bradish will be out of the lineup for the first several games of the season.
Power pitcher Luzardo, 26, has a lifetime strikeout rate of 10.2 batters per nine innings. Last season, he pitched 178.2 innings for the Marlins, going 10-10 with a 3.58 ERA. By reaching an agreement with Miami this offseason for a one-year, $5.5 million contract for 2024, Luzardo avoided arbitration and still has two years remaining under club control.
Earlier this month, Baltimore made a huge trade for Burnes, the former Cy Young champion. The 30-year-old Cole Irvin, who had a 4.42 ERA the previous season, is perhaps the only significant lefty in the rotation, especially in light of Means’ health concerns. Another AL East team recently expressed interest in trading for Luzardo, but it appears Baltimore has more
