Cubs Reportedly Backed Out of Jesus Luzardo Trade with Marlins Due to Medical Concerns

The Chicago Cubs reportedly "had a trade in place with the Miami Marlins for left-hander Jesús Luzardo" this past offseason, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, "but backed out after a review of his medical records."

So the Marlins instead traded Luzardo and prospect Paul McIntosh to the Philadelphia Phillies for prospects Starlyn Caba and outfielder Emaarion Boyd. He's been fantastic in Philly, going 2-0 in five starts with a 2.08 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 36 strikeouts in 30.1 innings.

Rosenthal noted that "concerns over Luzardo's back and elbow made the Cubs reluctant to pay the agreed-upon acquisition cost" after he missed time in 2024 with elbow tightness and a lumbar stress reaction.

The Phillies clearly didn't share those same concerns.

"I've had plenty of players where one club hasn't taken a player because of medicals and another club has, and the player is fine," Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters. "Everybody has their own standards, how they read certain injuries. Our (doctors and athletic trainers)—and knock on wood, because you never know what happens—have been very good at analyzing guys for us. And they have turned guys down at times, too, for us. But they felt they would be able to keep (Luzardo) healthy."

The Phillies will have Luzardo through at least the 2026 season, though next winter they will need to go through the arbitration process with him again.

The Cubs, meanwhile, added pitchers Matthew Boyd (2.54 ERA, 1.38 WHIP) and Colin Rea (1.32 ERA, 1.10 WHIP) in free agency, and both have been very good for the team to this point. In this case, perhaps both the Cubs and Phillies are perfectly fine with their Luzardo decisions.