Phillies next move after Jesus Luzardo trade should be brutally obvious

Philadelphia Phillies GM Dave Dombrowski awoke from his lengthy slumber over the weekend to trade for Miami Marlins ace Jesus Luzardo, pulling off the blockbuster acquisition fans yearned for after another premature postseason exit.

The trade, first reported by FanSided's Robert Murray, sent prospects Starlyn Caba and Emaarion Boyd to South Beach. Catcher Paul McIntosh also joined Luzardo en route to Philadelphia.

It has been an offseason of highs and lows for the Phillies fandom. Just when fans were ready to give up on Dombrowski after Juan Soto and Garrett Crochet passed the Phillies by, he pulls out an unexpected — and pleasantly ambitious — trade for Luzardo. This arguably gives Philadelphia the best five-man starting rotation in baseball, with top prospect Andrew Painter still waiting in the wings.

Luzardo was limited to 12 appearances and a subpar 5.00 ERA last season, but he posted a 3.58 ERA and 208 strikeouts across 32 healthy starts in 2023. The fireballing southpaw profiles as far more than your standard fifth starter. He has legitimate ace potential at 27 years old, with an affordable contract that runs through 2026.

Fans have been hesitant to endorse Dombrowski's blatant cheapness, but this is really the best way for the Phillies to build upon an expensive roster. Trade for controllable young stars and extend them when the time comes.

Luzardo's arrival also opens the door to get rid of Taijuan Walker, who has lost his spot in the starting rotation (and then some).

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Phillies should kick Taijuan Walker to the curb after Jesus Luzardo trade

Taijuan Walker was beyond bad in 2024. He was perhaps the hardest MLB pitcher to watch during the regular season. Not only did he underperform, but Walker looked completely lost on the bump. This is a former All-Star, somebody the Phillies paid $72 million at one point. That was a celebrated move at the time. Now, it's an albatross around Philadelphia's neck, and a problem Dombrowski needs to excise.

The 32-year-old former ace posted a 7.10 ERA and 1.72 WHIP across 19 appearances (15 starts), earning a ticket to the bullpen late in the campaign. If not for the complete dearth of options behind him, Walker probably would've been sent to the pine earlier. Now, with Luzardo in the mix and Painter on the rise, there's no path back into the main rotation for Walker, even if improved health and a determined offseason regimen puts him a little bit closer to his pre-2024 levels.

Philadelphia needs to trade Walker. That is easier said than done, as he's owed $18 million annually through 2026, but it's something the Phillies need to prioritize. There's pretty much zero chance that Dombrowski can dump the entire contract, but if he can even trim a small amount of that salary off the books, that is a win. Or, perhaps more intriguing is the potential to swap Walker's contract for "bad" money with a bit more utility to Philadelphia. A popular hypothetical target is corner infielder Nolan Arenado of the St. Louis Cardinals, who could replace Alec Bohm at third base.

Walker and prospects for Arenado doesn't feel especially likely, but it's the sort of trade Dombrowski should at least explore. There has to be a way out of Walker and the inherent distraction of carrying such a massive dead-weight contract on the books. It may not be the sexiest trade return in MLB history, but the Phillies need to leave no stones unturned, even if it's as simple as shaving a couple million off their payroll to stash Walker on a bottom-dwelling team somewhere.