The St. Louis Cardinals seemed headed towards selling off key players at the upcoming MLB trade deadline after a rough start to their season for the second year in a row.
However, unlike last year, St. Louis has surged back into contention with 13 wins in their last 16 games. As of Thursday morning, the Cardinals are 27-27, tied for second in the NL Central, and just half a game out of a wild card spot.
If they stay in the race, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak will likely be looking to buy at the deadline rather than trade away star players.
A controllable starting pitcher should be the team’s top priority. Fortunately, the Miami Marlins have exactly what St. Louis needs.
“(Jesús) Luzardo is the single player most likely to be traded,” said The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal on “Foul Territory” Wednesday. “The Marlins are going to continue making moves. They traded Luis Arráez, and they will trade Luzardo as long as he stays healthy — he had a minor physical issue earlier — but he’s likely gone.”
Luzardo has posted a 4.18 ERA, a 50-to-16 strikeout-to-walk ratio, a .226 batting average against, and a 1.14 WHIP in 51 2/3 innings across nine starts this season. His 3.63 FIP suggests his ERA might improve due to his low BAA and walk rates combined with a solid strikeout rate.
At 26, Luzardo is under team control through 2026, making him an ideal addition for the Cardinals, capable of helping them win now and stabilizing the rotation for the future.
The Cardinals’ rotation outlook beyond Sonny Gray for the next two seasons is uncertain, with Gray being 34 years old. 37-year-old Lance Lynn and 36-year-old Kyle Gibson have club options for next season, and the back end of the rotation is a mess.
Adding Luzardo would bolster the Cardinals’ current postseason push while securing a frontline starter for the next 2 1/2 seasons. Although the Marlins’ asking price will be high, Mozeliak cannot afford to pass up a controllable, high-quality starter on the trade market.
