Phillies Offseason Blunder! Trade Acquisition Sparks Outrage and Disappoinment
The Philadelphia Phillies had a quieter-than-expected offseason, not making any splashes to shake up their roster despite a disappointing showing in the postseason.
When they were eliminated in the NLDS by the New York Mets in four games, many expected a sizable shake-up. With spring training now upon us, that shake-up didn’t materialize as their roster looks pretty much set.
One of the items on their checklist that they did accomplish was upgrading the No. 5 spot in their starting rotation.
Last season it was a black hole on the pitching staff, unable to find anyone to fill the void as Taijuan Walker struggled.
Taking over that role in 2025 will be Jesus Luzardo, whom the team acquired in a trade from the Miami Marlins.
Given the upside that he possesses, it made sense to add him to their rotation as he will be filling in behind four All-Star caliber pitchers. Under team control through 2026, this isn’t a one-year rental either.
However, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report believes this is a move that could come back to haunt the Phillies, as he listed Luzardo amongst his 10 biggest bust candidates for the 2025 season.
One of the reasons was the price it cost to acquire him.
“Giving up young shortstop Starlyn Caba to acquire him could be a move the Phillies come to regret,” Reuter wrote.
Starlyn Caba is quickly moving up prospect rankings, as there are some outlets who believe that he will be the No. 1 prospect in the Marlins’ system by 2027. That would be less than ideal for Philadelphia to have to face him in the National League East instead of having him on their side.
Another reason that Luzardo may not be as impactful as people believe he can be is the underlying statistics and his inability to stay healthy.
During his injury-marred 2024, he saw his strikeout rate drop from 28.1% in his breakout 2023 campaign to 21.2%. His ERA was an elevated 5.00 in 66.2 innings as well.
2023 was also the only time in his career that he made more than 18 starts in a single season.
The Phillies are certainly hopeful that he can return close to the form he showed in 2022 and 2023, his two most productive in the Major Leagues. Not even in his prime yet at 27 years old, he is a good bet to be a bounce-back candidate.
But, trading away a prospect as talented and highly regarded as Caba is a steep price to pay. Short of winning a World Series, this could be a move the team looks back on in a few years that doesn’t age too well.
