‘Locked in’ Jesus Luzardo eyes bounceback with hometown Marlins after rough end to 2021
As Jesus Luzardo thinks back to the end of his 2021 season, those 12 starts after being traded to his hometown Miami Marlins, he knows the results weren’t acceptable. A 6.64 ERA and 1.60 walks and hits per inning pitched aren’t going to keep him in the big leagues even if he has big-league quality stuff.
But he also said he’s confident that dozen-game sample size doesn’t reflect who Jesus Luzardo can truly be when things are working right.
“Last year was so frustrating for me,” Luzardo said. “I felt like I was just — not weak-minded but things spiraled out of control. This offseason really kind of got me locked back in.”
The Marlins saw the upside Luzardo has as a starting pitcher when they acquired him from the Oakland Athletics for outfielder Starling Marte last July. The 24-year-old lefty and Parkland Stoneman Douglas alumnus has a fastball that hits the high 90s and a curveball with immense swing and miss potential. He’s under team control through the 2026 season.
He flashed that potential at times, but success more often than not eluded him.
The hope, both from Luzardo and the Marlins as a whole, is that his two-plus months with the club last season, a full offseason and a full spring training will help Luzardo right the ship.
He’s making the right impression so far in spring training.
Through two starts, Luzardo has given up just one unearned run over seven innings. He has seven strikeouts against just one walk. His fastball velocity is up — hitting 99.1 mph three times in his first start Tuesday and 98.7 mph on Sunday — and his command is “probably the best it’s been in a while,” Luzardo said.
“He’s special when it clicks,” pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. said. “Big upside. Players sometimes will let you know when they’re ready to overcome things and take off.”
Luzardo feels he is at that point, which would be good for the Marlins. It would reinforce the back-end of the Marlins’ rotation, which at the moment also features Sandy Alcantara, Pablo Lopez, Trevor Rogers and Elieser Hernandez.
“His stuff’s so electric,” Stottlemyre said. “We wait for that moment for where we all can go ‘OK, he’s got a handle on it. Now he can go.’ We saw Sandy go last year, and we’ll continue to see Sandy and Pablo go. Now, we’re trying to get Luzardo in that ‘go mode,’ meaning be productive and not beat yourself. He’s working on that part. It’s hard for him because he’s wired to go and throw hard. We want to balance that. Make pitches and not beat yourself and put yourself in a position to win games.”
In addition to Luzardo’s stuff, Marlins manager Don Mattingly appreciates the passion the pitcher shows when he’s on the mound — although sometimes that works against Luzardo.
“He’s emotional,” Mattingly said, “and I love it. He’s a guy that probably has to learn how to tone it down. Like when he gets in a jam, it’s harder Sometimes, it’s ‘let’s be more precise. You don’t have to try harder. Just execute a little better.’”
Luzardo has the confidence he can do that. When he struggles or gets into a funk, he thinks back to 2019, when the Athletics trusted him to throw three innings in their wild card game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Luzardo held Tampa Bay to one hit and two walks while striking out four in the 5-1 loss.
“I was 21 years old and I was going out there and doing my thing,” Luzardo said, “so what makes 24-year-old Jesus not able to do that? I’m in the right state.”
This and that
▪ Edward Cabrera will make his Grapefruit League debut for the Marlins on Monday against the Washington Nationals at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.
Sandy Alcantara, who is also in line to pitch Monday, will get his innings in a back-field game against Cardinals prospects in Jupiter. Alcantara has already faced the Nationals twice this spring.
▪ The Marlins on Sunday optioned right-handed pitcher Nick Neidert to Triple A Jacksonville and reassigned right-handed pitcher Max Meyer to minor-league camp. They also claimed right-handed pitcher Tommy Nance off waivers from the Chicago Cubs and designated for assignment right-handed pitcher Yoan Lopez.
▪ Some non-Luzardo game highlights from Sunday: Joey Wendle went 3 for 3 while batting leadoff and playing third base; Willians Astudillo had another hit; Anthony Bass recorded a second consecutive scoreless outing.
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