The Baltimore Orioles are betting favorites to land one of the market’s best starting pitchers, but Baltimore still needs a contingency plan.
No one would be shocked if the Orioles make a deal for Tarik Skubal or Garrett Crochet over the next 96 hours, but if Baltimore’s top targets prove too elusive, who will general manager Mike Elias pivot to?
Jesús Luzardo of the Miami Marlins would be a nice fit. The Orioles were listed as a potential landing spot for Luzardo this week by Tim Britton and Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic.
“After his full-season breakout in 2023, Jesús Luzardo’s year has been, like everything for the 2024 Marlins, a disappointment,” Britton and Gleeman said. “He’s made just a dozen uneven starts, and he’s currently on the 60-day IL with a back issue. Nevertheless, Luzardo, 26, has top-of-the-rotation stuff and is under team control for two seasons beyond this one.”
Luzardo may have other powerful suitors, as Britton and Gleeman listed the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers as other landing spots for the lefty.
He’s not Baltimore’s first choice, but the Orioles would undoubtedly benefit from Luzardo’s presence in their rotation once he’s healthy, which will presumably be well before Baltimore’s push for a World Series kicks into high gear.
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