Cardinals Rumors: Taking a look at the four Miami Marlins starters available

Pablo Lopez

Like I said in my story discussing some other targets the Cardinals could be exploring, Pablo Lopez's name is linked to St. Louis almost daily at this point.

Lopez, who is 26, went 10-10 with a 3.75 ERA in 32 starts in 2022, and many have been quick to note that he was pitching like an All-Star before hitting his career high in innings this year, when he then began to taper off.

While Lopez may not have the same level of pedigree that other front-line starters may have, he does have some pretty nasty stuff and would bring strikeouts to the Cardinals' rotation, evidenced by his MLB record of nine straight strikeouts to begin a game in 2022.

Lopez would not come cheap in a trade, likely requiring the Cardinals to part with a package that included one of Dylan Carlson, Tyler O'Neill, Brendan Donovan, or Nolan Gorman as the centerpiece.

It's a tall price to pay, but one that may be worth it for the Cardinals. If Lopez is too expensive for them or not the player they desire, there are still three other Marlins starters that should draw a lot of interest.

Jesus Luzardo

After struggling mightily in his debut seasons with the Oakland Athletics, Jesus Luzardo was sent to the Miami Marlins, with the hope that the former top prospect to figure things out with a change of scenery.

His 12 starts with the Marlins in 2021 did not fair any better, but he really found his form in 2022, going 4-7 with a 3.32 ERA in 100.1 innings of work for Miami. Luzardo struck out 10.8 batters per 9 innings and changed his trajectory drastically.

While Luzardo's chase rate, curve and fastball spin, and HardHit% are not great at the moment, his K%, Whiff%, xSLG, Barrel %, fastball velocity, and xERA/xwOBA all grade out in the upper third of baseball according to Baseball Savant. It's easy to see why teams may be interested in Luzardo once again.

At just 24 years old, the southpaw is under team control through the 2026 season and would be an excellent addition for St. Louis. He would not come cheap in a trade, but I would guess we are looking more at Alec Burleson, Juan Yepez, or maybe Nolan Gorman in this kind of deal.

Edward Cabrera

Another 24-year-old starter, Edward Cabrera was really good in his 14 starts for Miami in 2022, going 6-4 with a 3.01 ERA and 75 SO in 71.2 innings pitched.

The right-hander was a top prospect in Miami's system for years and has shown why since getting his shot in Miami. Cabrera has some filthy stuff that could continue to be refined over the next few seasons.

For a staff that has a lot older starters in its rotation, spending a year with a bunch of veteran starters could help Cabrera take the next step in his ability to shut down lineups. New pitching coach Dusty Blake is known for his ability to use analytics to get the most out of pitchers.

Cabrera is even more of an analytical darling than Luzardo according to Baseball Savant and would give the Cardinals a young starter with nasty stuff to develop. He is also under team control through the 2026 season, and I imagine his price tag would be similar to Luzardo's.

Trevor Rogers

Some may recognize the name, Trevor Rogers, as he was an All-Star in 2021 and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting after going 7-8 with a 2.64 ERA and 157 SO in 133 innings of work for the Marlins. Unfortunately, 2022 was the polar opposite for him.

In 23 starts, Rogers posted a 5.47 ERA and just did not look like himself on the mound. Although he is not coming off the same successful seasons as Lopez, Luzardo, or Cabrera, it's hard to ignore just how good he was as a rookie in 2021.

With years of control remaining, Rogers could present a very interesting case for St. Louis. He could be a buy-low candidate that regains his form for the Cardinals, and then they have another arm for their rotation beyond 2023. He may be the least flashy name of the bunch right now but could prove to be the best value in a trade.

When looking at all of these options for the Cardinals, it's really hard to argue against them going after any of these starters. As always, this depends on what it will cost to acquire each starter, and whether or not the Cardinals would view such a move as their only upgrade to pitching, or if they would still leave themselves room to acquire a true ace later. Regardless, keep your eyes on Miami over the next few weeks.