The San Francisco Giants, who lead the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the National League West and possess the second NL wild card through May 30, are 29-28 and seem to be buyers on the trade market.
The back half of their rotation, however, is “a question mark,” according to Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report, who suggested a deal for Jesús Luzardo, the best pitcher for the Miami Marlins.
“Luzardo could give them what they were hoping for from [injured starter Blake] Snell,” Reuter stated in an article on May 31 on Luzardo’s best landing spots. The Atlanta Braves were ranked first, with the Giants coming in second.
According to Reuter’s plan, the Giants would receive outfielder Grant McCray, left-hander Carson Whisenhunt, and first baseman Bryce Eldridge in return for Luzardo.
Giants Offer to Send Three Players in Return for Luzardo
Eldridge would be Miami’s reward, but the Marlins would receive three minor leaguers in exchange. He is ranked No. 75 overall in baseball and the No. 3 prospect for the Giants.
Reuter stated that Bryce Eldridge, a two-way standout in high school with genuine first-round potential on the mound, has now turned his entire attention to hitting and possesses some of the highest raw power of any prospect in the minors. One of the youngest players in the California League, the 6’7′′, 223-pound adolescent has five home runs, 28 RBI, and a.778 OPS in 32 games.
Reuter likened the probable haul for the Marlins to what the Chicago White Sox received in March after dealing star player Dylan Cease to the San Diego Padres.
“The San Diego Padres acquired Cease with a package that included one unanimous Top 100 prospect (Drew Thorpe), two fringe players (Jairo Iriarte and Samuel Zavala), and a reliable MLB reliever (Steven Wilson).” A comparable deal might be needed to acquire Luzardo.
In an effort to secure a postseason berth, Luzardo would add another arm to the Giants’ rotation. The 26-year-old is a likely trade candidate for the Marlins, who have the second-worst record in the majors (20-37) through May 30. He has two years left on his arbitration contract and won’t be a free agency until 2026.
Marlins Are Available for Deals
On the May 29 episode of “Foul Territory,” Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic stated, “Luzardo is the single-most likely player to be traded.” “The Marlins will continue to play. As long as Luzardo is fit, they plan to trade him in addition to trading [Luis Arráez].
Two-time All-Star and batting champion Arráez was traded by the Marlins in March, and they have already stated their plans regarding the trade deadline of July 30.
When pressed about trading away an established talent for players with success potential, Marlins President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix revealed the club’s thinking.
According to Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald, Bendix stated, “It’s part of the value of the player for the rest of the season when unfortunately our record is what it is and the fact is that we’re unlikely to make the playoffs this year.” “It seems like the right thing to do for this organization right now is to trade that for future value.”
It appears like Arreaz will be the catalyst for the Marlins fire sale. Other names to keep an eye on are Tanner Scott and Jazz Chisholm Jr. Luzardo first appeared in 2023. With 32 starts, he had an ERA of 3.58. Prior to his time on the disabled list, Luzardo struggled. But he has a 1.75 ERA in his four starts since coming back.
“During his tenure in the Oakland Athletics system, the 26-year-old was among the game’s best pitching prospects. Although he struggled to establish himself in the major leagues, he made considerable progress in 2022 and delivered a convincing breakthrough season in 2021,” Reuter stated.
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