Jesús Luzardo injury update: Top trade candidate lands on IL, may not return ahead of deadline

Jesús Luzardo injury update: Top trade candidate lands on IL, may not return ahead of deadline

The Miami Marlins on Saturday placed left-handed starter Jesús Luzardo on the 15-day injured list with a lumbar stress reaction in his lower back. The move was made retroactive to June 19. Luzardo hasn't made a start since June 16. In a corresponding move, the Marlins have recalled right-hander Shaun Anderson from Triple-A.

Marlins manager Skip Schumaker told reporters, including MLB.com's Christina De Nicola, that there's a potential timeline of four to six weeks for Luzardo's return to action. That's significant because Luzardo is a candidate to be dealt leading up to the July 30 trade deadline. If he's out for more than the near end of that timeline, then he's not going to be able to get back to the active roster in time for the deadline. The Marlins, with a 26-49 record on the season thus far, are in teardown mode, but that teardown now may not include Luzardo, who's perhaps their most valuable trade piece. No doubt, Peter Bendix and the rest of the Miami front office are hoping Luzardo is able to beat those very early estimates.

This season, Luzardo, 26, has pitched to a 5.00 ERA (87 ERA+) with a 2.64 K/BB ratio in 66 ⅔ innings. Those aren't appealing numbers, but he's coming off a 2022-23 run for Miami in which he put up a 3.48 ERA across 50 starts with 328 strikeouts in 279 innings. Last season, he topped 200 strikeouts for the year.

Adding to Luzardo's theoretical trade value is that he's not eligible for free agency until after the 2026 season. Given his strikeout chops, relative youth, pre-2024 record of recent success, and years of remaining control, Luzardo would be a coveted name on the trade market. Now, though, he may not be able to be on the trade market until the winter.