The Cubs are being pushed to trade for the Marlins star in a $71 million deal after trading Cody Bellinger

The Chicago Cubs had a busy offseason after a disappointing 2024 season. They could look to add a starting pitcher to their already strong rotation.

Caleb Moody of Just Baseball called the Cubs a potential suitor for Miami Marlins starter Jesús Luzardo in a trade. Luzardo is 27 years old and won’t be a free agent until 2027. According to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score, the Cubs and Marlins have had discussions about trading Luzardo.

“From a big picture perspective, Luzardo would give them the type of arm to create a formidable top three alongside Imanaga and Steele that could position them well for a postseason series,” Moody wrote. “And from a day-to-day perspective, if Luzardo can regain the swing-and-miss skills he had before his injury-plagued 2024 season, he can bring something to the Cubs’ starting staff that they lacked in 2024 when they were ranked .” tied for 25th place in the league in K-rate.

The Cubs already have Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele at the top of their rotation. They signed Matthew Boyd to help the bottom half of the group. However, a healthy Luzado could give them an elite top three. Luzardo had 208 strikeouts and a 3.58 ERA in 2023, his last full season.

He only played 12 games last season. He struggled with a lower back injury that limited his ability to play. Hopefully a full off-season rest can get him back to form.

Luzardo is expected to receive a five-year, $71 million contract when he enters free agency. They’ve already made a blockbuster deal with the addition of Kyle Tucker. If the Cubs want to keep him long-term, they’ll need to sign a big contract. However, with Bellinger’s deal falling through, they can afford to move players like Luzardo.

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