The Marlins moved Jesus Luzardo on December 22, continuing their rebuild. In a three-player trade with the Phillies, Jesus Luzardo was shipped off from Miami to Philadelphia, staying in the NL East. In return, the Marlins received outfielder Emaarion Boyd and Starlyn Caba, one of the top prospects in Philadelphia’s farm system.

The Phillies’ Return

• SP Jesus Luzardo (5.00 ERA, 58 K over 66.2 IP)
• C Paul McIntosh (.246/.340/.385, 12 HR and 32 XBH over 117 G)

Thanks to elbow and back problems, Jesus Luzardo only threw 66.2 IP last season and didn’t excel on the mound. However, the 27-year-old pitched incredibly well in 2022 and 2023.

Luzardo struck out 120 batters over 100.1 IP two years ago and recorded a K/9 rate that ranked among the 15 pitchers (min. 100 IP) in the game. In 2023, Luzardo struck out 208 batters with Miami, a figure good for seventh in the National League.

The 27-year-old, originally acquired in 2021 for Starling Marte, overcame control problems he encountered with the A’s and Miami after establishing himself as a legit starter in 2020. And, he’s got an impressive arsenal.

The new Phillie has two fastballs, a running two-seamer and a four-seamer with above-average arm-side run. The two play well of each other, as both can look similar at times but don’t move the same. Luzardo can regularly hit the 96-97 MPH range with his fastball. However, the average velocity was down about one MPH last season, not shocking given his injuries.

He’ll pair those two pitches with a changeup and slider. Luzardo’s slider doesn’t have plus movement but a consistent profile, plus it’s a tough pitch to pick up with his delivery. The left-hander has a semi-crossfire delivery, giving the slider some bite. Additionally, his changeup has a lot of run.

While Luzardo does have a sinker (in name only) and changeup, he’s a power pitcher who games for whiffs and strikeouts. That combination led to above-average whiffs and chases each of the last two seasons.

Luzardo has two years of team control remaining. Philadelphia also received Paul McIntosh, signed by Miami in 2021 out of West Virginia University, in the trade.

The Marlins’ Return

• SS Starlyn Caba (.228/.385/.284, 2 HR and 10 XBH over 78 G (FCL and A))
• OF Emaarion Boyd (.239/.316/.330, 3 HR and 21 XBH over 96 G (A+))

The big piece of this deal is shortstop Starlyn Caba, considered a top-five prospect in the Phillies’ farm system.

Caba received $3MM from the Phillies in 2023 and considered arguably the best defensive player in the international signing class of that season. Scouting reports have lauded the 19-year-old’s range and arm.

Offensively, Caba showcased a plus eye, as he led the Florida Complex League in total walks (51) and stolen bases, in a season that saw him hit .257/.427/.335 (.762 OPS) before a promotion to Clearwater (A).

At 5’9”, Caba’s bat also looks promising. The 19-year-old is more of a hit-over-power bat, showing a good knack for putting bat on ball but not much slug. Right now, he looks like a line-drive hitter with limited power potential.

The other piece involved in the trade is Emaarion Boyd, an 11th-round pick by the Phillies in 2022. Boyd was a tantalizing prospect two years ago, so much so the Phillies gave him a $647.5K signing bonus to forego a commitment to Northwest Mississippi CC.

Boyd was a hot name thanks to his pitch recognition and clean, short swing, although he didn’t hit much leading to the 2022 MLB Draft. That’s remained mostly true through his pro career, as Boyd had a .646 OPS last season with Jersey Shore (A+), showing limited power.

The 21-year-old did, however, do better as the summer went on. During Boyd’s final full month of 2024, the new Marlins prospect hit .280/.360/.413 (.773 OPS) with six extra-base hits over 20 games.

There’s some projection here with Boyd, who sizeable with tools. But, he’ll have to show more pop as he progresses. Right now, Boyd projects as fourth outfielder/defensive sub.

Analysis

The Phillies entered the offseason with four locks in their rotation — Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, Ranger Suarez, and Cristopher Sanchez — and a hole in the fifth and final spot. Philadelphia filled it with Luzardo.

It’s become an arms race in the NL East in recent years, as the Braves, Phillies, and Mets are all jostling for top spot in the division and each team’s looked to out-do the others over the last two offseasons.

Luzardo’s handled the Braves and Mets well in the past. In 2023, he struck out 13 over 11 innings with a 2.31 ERA against a Braves team that hasn’t changed much. That same season, Luzardo struck out 15 over 13 innings and allowed one run against the Mets. And speaking of the Mets, Luzardo matches up well handedness against new Met Juan Soto. Although, Soto (.385/.529/.692 in 17 career PA) has gotten the best of him thus far.

As for the Marlins, it ends the Luzardo saga. A Luzardo trade has been rumored for a while, with the Marlins in a massive rebuild and likely won’t be competitive in the NL East for the next two seasons. However, the Fish did sell on the 27-year-old on a down season.

Miami didn’t get a bad return here, as Caba has the potential to be an incredibly valuable shortstop, one who can get on base, change the game with his speed, and possibly be an impact defender.

No, the Marlins didn’t get one of Aidan Miller, Justin Crawford, Andrew Painter, or Eduardo Tait — arguably the Phillies’ four-best prospects. But, Caba is an infielder to dream on.