Philly Leader

The Philadelphia Phillies have strengthened their pitching rotation by acquiring left-handed starter Jesús Luzardo and Minor League catcher/outfielder Paul McIntosh from the Miami Marlins. In exchange, the Phillies sent shortstop Starlyn Caba, ranked as their No. 4 prospect, and outfielder Emaarion Boyd, their No. 23 prospect, to Miami. To accommodate Luzardo on the roster, Philadelphia designated left-handed pitcher Tyler Gilbert for assignment.

Luzardo, who is under team control through 2026 and eligible for arbitration, will join a rotation that includes Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez, and Cristopher Sánchez. The Phillies anticipate that top pitching prospect Andrew Painter will join the rotation during the 2025 season. Until then, Luzardo and Taijuan Walker are expected to compete for the final spot in the starting lineup.

Walker struggled last season with a 7.10 ERA and was moved to the bullpen. Luzardo also faced challenges in 2024 with a 5.00 ERA over 12 starts before his season ended due to a lumbar stress reaction and elbow tightness. Despite these setbacks, Luzardo demonstrated potential in previous seasons with a 3.48 ERA over two years and notable performances such as his start against the Phillies in Game 1 of the 2023 NL Wild Card Series.

Phillies' President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski emphasized the team's focus on enhancing their pitching depth following their recent signing of outfielder Max Kepler. He stated that while no further significant offensive moves are anticipated this offseason, bolstering pitching remains a priority.

The addition of Luzardo aims to enhance an already strong rotation led by Wheeler and Nola. Wheeler has been recognized as one of baseball's top pitchers with multiple NL Cy Young runner-up finishes and impressive postseason performances. Nola has been consistently durable since 2018, leading in starts and innings pitched while ranking high in strikeouts and wins.

Suárez and Sánchez both earned All-Star selections last season, contributing to what is considered one of baseball's top rotations. With Suárez entering his contract's final year, Luzardo's arrival provides flexibility for future roster decisions.

Philadelphia continues to emphasize run prevention as they prepare for the upcoming season.