Guardians off-season blue print: Trading for this starting pitcher

The Cleveland Guardians must figure out their starting pitching dilemma this offseason if they want to contend for a World Series in 2025.

Yes, they have several options at the minor league level, but they come with many unknowns. The Guardians need a proven big-league starter to anchor the middle rotation, and Cleveland may have to look for an external solution for that answer.

One pitcher who would be a perfect fit for the Guardians is current Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo. The 27-year-old has a career ERA of 4.29 and a 1.25 WHIP in his six big-league seasons.

Luzardo only made 12 starts in 2024 because of a stress fracture in his lower back. He had an ERA of 5.00 and a 1.25 WHIP in those appearances.

Cleveland needs a starting pitcher which they know exactly what they will get from him when he steps onto the mound. While Luzardo isn’t immune to giving up runs, especially the long ball, he does offer the consistency Cleveland needs. This includes Luzardo’s ability to get deep into games. In nine of Luzardo’s 12 starts, he pitched 5.0 innings or more.

Cleveland starters struggled with this during the 2024 season, and the Guardians can’t continue to heavily rely on their bullpen for another full season.

Luzardo is also a solid swing-and-miss pitcher, which the Guardians need more of in their rotation. In 2024, the Marlins starter ranked in the 62nd percentile in chase percentage and 79th percentile in whiff percentage.

It always takes two to tango and pull off a trade, so would the Marlins even consider moving one of their rotation arms? There were rumors at the beginning of the 2024 season that Miami could look to trade him at the deadline. However, reports indicated that the Marlins wouldn’t look to deal Luzardo until the offseason.

Chris Antonetti also mentioned at his end-of-season press conference that any pitcher they look to acquire on either the trade market or in free agency would ideally be able to help them for the foreseeable future. Luzardo is under team control through the 2026 season.

If the Guardians are looking to acquire another starting pitcher through the trade market, Luzardo should be high on their list.