MIAMI — In all of five pitches, the best of Jesus Luzardo was back for the Miami Marlins.
For his first at-bat in nearly three months, the pitcher stared down Jonathan India and worked his way into a favorable count, with two of his first three pitches painting the edges of the plate for called strikes. On the fifth pitch of his first plate appearance since May, Luzardo got to do what he has always done best and make a hitter look foolish. He whipped a slider out and away from India, and strutted off the mound when the Cincinnati Reds’ second baseman flailed at a diving pitch in the dirt.
This was the sort of combination Luzardo, 24, rode through the minors to become a consensus top-15 prospect before he debuted in 2019 and the form he recaptured at the start of this season — before he landed on the injured list with a right forearm strain — to make his case for consideration as part of the Marlins’ lauded cache of mid-20s starters.
After more than two months of frustrating recovery and rehabilitation, Luzardo returned from the 60-day IL on Monday and still looked the part, even though Miami lost 3-1 to the Reds in front of 7, 701 at loanDepot park. In five innings, Luzardo threw 81 pitches, struck out five, didn’t walk anyone and gave up just three hits, and only one of those was on a hard-hit ball.
Those three hits did, however, come during a five-batter sequence in the second inning and gave Cincinnati a pair of earned runs against Luzardo. Otherwise, the left-handed pitcher cruised with 1-2-3 innings in the first, third and fifth, and an error was the only thing separating Luzardo from another in the fourth.
The Marlins only recorded one hit while Luzardo was in the game and have now scored just 37 runs in their last 15 games. Still, they came within one swing of victory when they loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth inning before catcher Jacob Stallings flew out to center to end the game.
Luzardo’s no-walk outing was his first since 2021. His velocity topped out at nearly 97 mph, even though he didn’t throw a single four-seam fastball. He threw more than 60 percent of his pitches for strikes, got 12 swings and misses, and threw first-pitch strikes to 12 of the 19 batters he faced in his two-plus turns against the Reds’ order.
They were all indicators suggesting Luzardo’s long layoff didn’t derail him too much from the success he found in the spring.
“We’ve kind of forgotten the command issues,” manager Don Mattingly said.
With the trade deadline coming at 6 p.m. on Tuesday and Miami more likely to sell than buy, the Marlins might once again be looking toward the future and Luzardo is an important part of the long-term outlook in Miami — especially with starting pitcher Pablo Lopez, 26, in the center of trade rumors this week.
The Marlins have one of the best 1-2 punches in the majors with Lopez and All-Star starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara, also 26, at the top of their rotation. Luzardo and Trevor Rogers, also 24, give them two more highly promising
With Lopez and All-Star starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara, also 26, at the top of their rotation, the Marlins have one of the best 1-2 punches in the Majors. Luzardo and Trevor Rogers, also 24, give them two more highly promising starting pitchers.
The starting staff is still the foundation for Miami, whether it will be the heartbeat of a late, increasingly unlikely run at the 2022 MLB postseason or the centerpiece of its future plans.
As it too often does in South Florida, the latter again looks far more important.
More Marlins moves, injury updates
Earlier Monday, the Marlins optioned starting pitcher Nick Neidert and designated relief pitcher Jake Fishman for assignment to help make room for Luzardo on the active roster.
Miami also recalled relief pitcher Aneurys Zabala, who made his first — and, so far, only — MLB appearance back in June.
Neidert is going to Triple A Jacksonville and Fishman, who gave up four hits and one run across 3 1/3 innings in his MLB debut Sunday, will now have to clear waivers if the Marlins are to keep him. Mattingly said he’s sort of hoping the reliever gets claimed by someone and goes right back to the Majors because he believes he’s deserving, but the organization is obviously hoping to keep the 27-year-old rookie.
Miami also moved pitcher Jordan Holloway to the 60-day IL — he has a right elbow impingement — to make room for Luzardo on the 40-man roster.
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In addition to the roster moves, the Marlins offered up a long list of injury updates Monday with about half a dozen contributors, including two All-Stars, currently on the IL.
Garrett Cooper, one of those two All-Stars, might be closest to returning. After playing a rehab game for Class A Jupiter on Saturday, the slugger took batting practice on the field Monday at loanDepot park and is eligible to come off the IL on Wednesday. The 31-year-old has been out for a little more than a week with a right wrist contusion.
Middle infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr., the other All-Star remains far from a return, afer Miami shifted him to the 60-day IL last month when a CT scan revealed a stress fracture in his back.
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Third basemen Brian Anderson and Jon Berti, however, are making more significant progress. Anderson took soft toss Monday and Berti has begun fielding grounders, running and taking batting practice.
Miami is also still missing several pitchers, although relief pitcher Anthony Bender should be activated some time this week. He joined the team in Miami on Monday.
Elieser Hernandez is also making progress. The pitcher threw an inning in the Florida Complex League on Monday. Relief pitcher Cole Sulser is even further along and will join the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on Thursday to continue his rehab after making a pair of appearances with the Jupiter Hammerheads.
There’s also some progress for Sixto Sanchez: The rookie starting pitcher threw an inning of live batting practice Saturday, will have another bullpen session Wednesday and then throw two innings of live batting practice Saturday. The 24-year-old Dominican has not appeared in a game at any level since 2020, when he posted a 3.46 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 39 innings with the Marlins.
