Baltimore Orioles linked to best pitcher available ahead of MLB trade deadline
Last year, the Baltimore Orioles had pitching troubles, but they didn’t let a lack of depth prevent them from having just the sixth 100-win season of their 124-year franchise history. This year, the Orioles are off to an even hotter start, with a win rate of 66.1% entering MLB games today.
Yet, they still have pitching problems, especially now that both John Means and Tyler Wells have been ruled out for the year with season-ending surgeries. While the Orioles rank third in the American League with an impressive staff ERA of 3.32, Baltimore may not be able to sustain that mark after losing 2/5 of their starting rotation.
Baltimore Orioles could turn to Jesus Luzardo to bolster rotation
So it’s no surprise to see USA Today’s MLB insider Bob Nightengale link the Orioles to MLB’s top pitcher on the trade block, Miami’s Jesus Luzardo.
“The best starter on the trade block before July 30 is Miami Marlins lefty Jesús Luzardo, and you would think there would be a perfect match with the Baltimore Orioles, who lost starters John Means and Tyler Wells to season-ending elbow surgeries.”
Bob Nightengale connecting the dots between Baltimore Orioles and Jesus Luzardo
The Orioles have four prospects ranked in MLB’s top 100 list, and while Jackson Holliday obviously won’t be exchanging teams, Baltimore has more than enough trade capital to swing a deal with Miami for Luzardo.
Luzardo, 26, would add another left-handed starter to the Orioles’ rotation, and they’d be getting a very good one. While he’s yet to make an All-Star game, he’s been excellent, pitching to a 3.59 ERA across the past three seasons (59 starts).
Another added benefit of adding Luzardo is that he’s under team control until 2027, and he’s earning a reasonable $5.5 million this season. Yet, since he’s not set to become a free agent for three more seasons, he likely won’t be easy to pry away from Miami, especially if other suitors get in the mix.
