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When the Miami Marlins reached the postseason in a 162-game campaign for the first time since the George W. Bush Administration (first term), many fans hoped a new age of Fish baseball was officially underway. The constant injury troubles and days of wallowing in the National League East dungeon would finally end, or at least significantly decrease.
Instead, the opposite has happened. Since the Marlins seized a wild card slot in the 2023 playoffs, they have been crushed on the field, injured list and front office.
Although new president of baseball operations Peter Bendix comes with glowing small-market qualifications, the shocking departure of former general manager Kim Ng tarnished some of the good vibes that were surrounding this plucky club. Though, perhaps it goes even beyond that.
Ng’s exit, which reportedly occurred because she was not offered a new three-year contract extension and was also being forced to report to an incoming president of baseball operations, might have unleashed a cataclysmic plague on the franchise. Miami started the 2024 campaign 0-9 and is currently 9-24. Pitching injuries, in particular, have decimated the team.
But the Marlins are finally being gifted some good news on that front. Jesus Luzardo, one of the top guys in their starting rotation, is inching closer to a return.
“Luzardo threw a bullpen session on May 2 for the first time since testing and imaging revealed a mild left flexor muscle strain,” MLB.com reported. The left-hander is expected to take the mound for the team in “a week or so.”
Fans can take a deep breathe. Maybe this deluge of despair is beginning to relent. It might be too late for the Marlins to save their season, but this proves the sun does still occasionally shine on LoanDepot Park.
Jesus Luzardo can greatly help Marlins’ depleted starting rotation
Miami was all-around awful in April, but its pitching woes stand out most. The rotation is a central part of this team’s identity and is a huge reason why the Marlins enjoyed an 84-win campaign last year. It is clinging to life now, however, with a 4.76 team ERA that ranks 26th in the MLB.
Losing both 2022 Cy Young Sandy Alcantara and rising star Eury Perez to Tommy John surgery in the span of six months is excruciating for a fan base that just started to remember how it felt to root for a winning ballclub. 2023 NL Manager of the Year Skip Schumaker overcame a slew of pitching injuries in his first year at the helm, but he is running out of trustworthy hurlers.
Can Jesus Luzardo change that? The 26-year-old southpaw appeared to be on a similarly bleak trajectory after being scratched from his April 26 start against the Washington Nationals. He underwent Tommy John himself in 2016, so many fans immediately assumed the worst.
Luzardo has avoided disaster for the time being, though. While the Marlins travel out west for a three-game set with the Oakland Athletics (15-17), he will make a rehab start for the Single-A Jupiter Hammerheads on Sunday. Hopefully, the elbow responds well and he is back in the starting rotation by mid-May.
Luzardo is 0-2 with a 6.58 ERA and 13 walks in 26 innings pitched this season, so this recovery stint might be especially beneficial. Meanwhile, Miami is riding a three-game winning streak, courtesy of the NL-worst Colorado Rockies (7-24), and looks to continue its run of good luck when it battles the A’s in the Oakland Coliseum Friday night.
More must-reads:
- Mets announce unexpected Opening Day starter
- Reds catcher to begin season on injured list
- The 'Most strikeouts for an MLB rookie pitcher since 1995' quiz
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Yankees Predicted to Land Former Cubs' World Series Champion
There are few Chicago Cubs players who have captured the hearts of the fans more than Anthony Rizzo did during his time with the organization. Even after not playing for the Cubs since the 2021 season, fans in Chicago love the former star slugger. Rizzo also was a huge part of leading the Cubs to a World Series win back in 2016. As of right now, Rizzo still happens to be a free agent. He is not the superstar that he once was in Chicago, but there are teams who could use depth around the league. Could that landing spot simply be re-signing with the New York Yankees for another run? When the Cubs moved on from Rizzo ahead of the 2021 MLB trade deadline, they shipped him to the Yankees. He has played the last three and a half years in New York. Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report has now predicted that Rizzo will end up back with the Yankees in 2025. "There's been little action on the 35-year-old Rizzo throughout the offseason, yet he was adamant last month about wanting to continue his career," Rymer wrote. "Though he hasn't been the same player since suffering a concussion in 2023, the three-time All-Star may find a fit with a team in need of a left-handed bat at first base or designated hitter. Bold Prediction: Rizzo returns to the New York Yankees to help spell Giancarlo Stanton." Stanton's injury could help Rizzo find his way back to New York. It's possible that the Yankees could lose Stanton for the season due to his elbow injury. During the 2024 season, Rizzo hit eight home runs to go along with 35 RBI and slashed .228/.301/.335. He played in 92 games.
Steelers lose their third free agent of the week to same team following departure of once-promising trade acquisition
The Pittsburgh Steelers acquired Mike Williams from the New York Jets at the 2024 trade deadline. The move provided immediate dividends, as the Steelers won a game against the Washington Commanders thanks to a catch from Mike Williams in his first career game with the Steelers. Unfortunately, that was the highlight of his time in Pittsburgh ,and now he's headed back to where it all started... Chargers sign third former Steeler of the Week, WR Mike Williams "BREAKING: The Chargers are signing WR Mike Williams to a 1-year deal worth up to $6M as he returns to Los Angeles — where he spent the first seven years of his career, sources tell NFL on FOX. Williams is back catching passes from Justin Herbert." - Jordan Schultz, Fox Sports In case you missed the first two, Donte Jackson and Najee Harris headed to the West Coast earlier in the week. Jackson will be a bit of an acquired taste in Los Angeles and for HC Jim Harbaugh. After receiving him in a trade that sent Diontae Jackson packing, many were skeptical of trading for an often-injured corner who is smaller and slighter than what the Steelers normally covet. Najee Harris averaged less than four yards per carry during his time with the Steelers, and he never had that second gear that Pittsburgh saw at Alabama. However, Harris also never played with a good offensive line and was asked to be the bell cow for an offense that changed running schemes multiple times. And still, he reached over 1,000 yards and five-plus rushing TDs every year in Pittsburgh, all the while not missing a start, much less a game. Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh has a type at RB, and Najee Harris fits that type. A road grader with a ton of durability and power, he’s exactly what the Chargers want their lead back to look like. So it’s a move that brings Najee Harris back to his home state of California and brings the Los Angeles Chargers closer to being the offense they want to be: A smashmouth team that throws off play action. As for Mike Williams, the familiarity with the Chargers and the fact that the team still has a need at the WR position made this move easy to see coming.
Vikings Lose Former 1st-Round Pick to Chiefs: Report
The Minnesota Vikings bolstered their defensive front in free agency, signing Jonathan Allen (three years, $51 million) and Javon Hargrave (two years, $30 million) to lucrative contracts. It was a significant investment for the Vikings, who ranked 28th in spending on the defensive line with just $11.7 million spent on five rostered defensive linemen in 2024. That unit provided plenty of value, allowing the second-fewest rushing yards in the league, but offered more to be desired in the pass rush. It led to the Vikings selling out to create pressure, blitzing at the highest rate in the NFL. The desire to improve the defensive line has led several meaningful contributors to reach free agency, but there is still the possibility of re-signing as depth. However, that won't be the case with a former first-round pick who signed with the Kansas City Chiefs on Day 5 of free agency. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Friday, March 14, that Jerry Tillery is signing a one-year deal with the Chiefs. The 28th overall pick by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2019 draft, Tillery didn't live up to his draft status initially and was released after three seasons. He spent two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders before signing a one-year, $3.8 million deal with the Vikings last season. Tillery played every game and made 11 starts, playing the third-most snaps (482) on the defensive front last season. He totaled 19 pressures and 19 total tackles, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). Fellow starter Jonathan Bullard remains a free agent while nose tackle Harrison Phillips is poised to start with Allen and Hargrave on each of his shoulders. Bullard and Tillery's combined 25 total pressures pale in comparison to Allen and Hargrave's 113 combined pressures from the 2023 season. Jihad Ward, who played 452 snaps last season, is also still a free agent. Meanwhile, the Vikings have retained Jalen Redmond and Levi-Drake Rodriguez as developmental pieces.
Former Steelers RB Najee Harris seemingly takes shot at Pittsburgh after arriving in Los Angeles
Insider questions if Aaron Rodgers will respect ‘back up QB’ Kevin O’Connell, Vikings leadership
The Minnesota Vikings have made multiple moves in the early stages of free agency to strengthen some of their weaknesses. They have signed a pair of offensive linemen from the Indianapolis Colts to help protect their quarterback and give their running game a boost. They have also added a pair of defensive linemen to improve their toughness. However, there are questions about the backup quarterback position that general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell may have to address. The Vikings are planning to hand their QB1 position to J.J. McCarthy. He was the No. 10 pick overall in last year’s draft, and after making a positive impression on O’Connell and the Vikings coaching staff in the offseason and the early stages of training camp, McCarthy suffered a torn meniscus that cost him the 2024 season. The belief is that he will be ready to go this summer, but there are no guarantees. Even if McCarthy is healthy, there are legitimate questions about the Vikings’ backup quarterback position. Last year’s starter Sam Darnold has signed with the Seattle Seahawks, and Daniel Jones left through free agency to join the Indianapolis Colts. Bringing in an aging Aaron Rodgers has been mentioned, but it could lead to problems because of Rodgers’ status within the NFL and his reputation as something of a diva. Would Rodgers work well under O’Connell and Vikings coaches? Rodgers is one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in NFL history. The 41-year-old is a 4-time NFL Most Valuable Player and a 10-time Pro Bowl quarterback. He won the Super Bowl XLIV MVP award and he is a sure-fire Hall of Famer. He played 18 years with the Green Bay Packers before spending the last 2 seasons with the New York Jets. NFL insider Diana Russini of The Athletic questioned the kind of fit Rodgers would be within the Vikings organization. While O’Connell is extremely well thought of for the job he has done in his first 3 seasons as Minnesota’s head coach, he was a backup quarterback in his playing days. Would Rodgers have respect for O’Connell’s position since he has accomplished so much more in his career than O’Connell did in his career? Josh McCown is the quarterbacks coach for the Vikings and while he had a decent NFL career as a quarterback, it doesn’t compare to Rodgers’ accomplishments. Would Rodgers listen to the suggestions of O’Connell and McCown? While there are reasons to question the Vikings’ need for Rodgers, the only other quarterback on the Minnesota roster besides McCarthy is Brett Rypien. He did not throw a pass last year and his experience is quite limited.
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