MLB Insider: Who the Orioles should target in trade talks following pitching injuries

With the news that Baltimore Orioles pitchers John Means and Tyler Wells are out for the season, both needing UCL repairs, it heightens an already pressing need for rotation reinforcements.

“The Orioles have to make a trade now, right?” one rival evaluator asked.

The answer before Means and Wells’ injuries was yes. Now, it’s something that the Orioles almost certainly have to do, and there should be no shortage of options. Among the teams that have starting pitching available include the Oakland Athletics, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels and Colorado Rockies. Other teams to watch are the Toronto Blue Jays and Arizona Diamondbacks, who could elect to sell Jordan Montgomery before he opts out of his contract at the end of the season.

Why the Orioles should target Jesus Luzardo

But the team, and player, who makes the most sense for the Orioles is Miami Marlins left-hander Jesus Luzardo.

Luzardo, 26, would mark the second high-end addition to the Orioles’ rotation, joining the offseason trade for Brewers ace Corbin Burnes. Luzardo is a player who has a real chance of being moved ahead of the trade deadline and should attract widespread interest, including from the New York Yankees. In nine starts this season, he’s posted a 4.18 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 51.2 innings.

But the Orioles, or any other acquiring team, would be eyeing Luzardo’s production from last season when he posted a 3.58 ERA and 208 strikeouts in 178.2 innings. What also makes Luzardo so intriguing is that he’s not a free agent until 2027 and earning a mere $5.5 million this season.

There are questions surrounding Luzardo, of course, most notably his health after missing time with a mild flexor muscle strain in his left elbow. He has made four starts following the injury, pitching at least 5.2 innings in each outing, and has thrown a combined 25.2 innings and allowed only five runs. He has shown that he is healthy, but staying healthy will be key for the Marlins to maximize the haul they would receive.

That said, it’s very possible that Luzardo is traded ahead of the trade deadline, and the Orioles stand as perhaps the best fit for the left-hander.