Marlins pitcher who is considered most likely player to be moved at deadline is ideal trade target for Guardians

The Cleveland Guardians are going to be one of at least a few teams that will evaluate their starting pitching situation and determine the best foot forward in how to address it. There has been plenty of speculation regarding the availability of Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo.

Speculation on whether or not he wouldbe movedthis season ramped up the moment the Marlins traded Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres, and his departure was all but confirmed on Thursday. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal believes that Luzardo is "most likely" player to be moved at the deadline.While this does not necessarilycome as a surprise toanyone, having this type of quasiconfirmation about himbeing dealtshould motivate contenders looking to upgrade their pitching staff to start opening trade talks about a potential deal.Thisis a group that includes the Cleveland Guardians. 

Cleveland is in first place in the American League Central division currently and has done pretty much all of it without Shane Bieber. Bieber was determined to have an injury that would require season-ending Tommy John surgery after just two starts, creating a noticeable vacancy in Cleveland's rotation. The Guardians have seen a few starters step up in Bieber's absence, notably Tanner Bibee, Ben Lively, and Triston McKenzie, in addition to mostly serviceable performances from Logan Allen and Carlos Carrasco. But this is a rotation that should not be considered to be in its final form. Additions are going to be necessary if they are going to achieve anything of note in the postseason, as standing pat, given their early success, is far from acceptable.

Is acquiring Luzardo going to be easy? No, more than one team is going to inquire about trading for Luzardo, and that is going to make it somewhat difficult, but that does not mean the Guardians should not try. Cleveland may have to give up a few of their more highly regarded prospects to land Luzardo, a deal that would be very rewarding for both sides

Luzardo is a very talented pitcher who has two more arbitration-eligible years remaining before becoming a free agent following the 2026 season. A player like this with multiple years before free agency is exactly the type of player the Guardians should look to acquire. It helps keep their payroll within a certain expected range and would reinforce stability to their rotation for multiple seasons and prevent them from having to go down the rest of the year rental route. Meanwhile, Miami would be receiving young players to add to their minor league system that would ideally be part of their next competitive cycle. The Guardians and Marlins are near-perfect trade partners, all they have to do is come to terms on the trade package and agree to the deal.