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The Miami Marlins were just dealt a huge blow with the loss of Jesus Luzardo. The pitcher is going on the 60-day injured list, which makes it difficult to trade him. The MLB trade deadline is in 36 days, which means both the Marlins and teams that might have been interested in a trade will suffer from this.
The Marlins (27-50) are one of baseball's worst teams, and Luzardo was expected to fetch a high price. Not only have they missed out on some of that return, they also need to find a pitcher to fill the void left in their rotation. Here's who they can turn to:
Best replacements for Jesus Luzardo as Marlins flounder
3) Anthony Maldonado
It can be risky to bring a pitching prospect up from AA or lower, which is why the Marlins should look at their AAA roster. That makes Anthony Maldonado the safest option, as he's in AAA and closer to the big leagues than most of his pitching counterparts.
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Maldonado is the Marlins' 20th-ranked prospect, but he's just one of two in that range to be in AAA. The Marlins should bring him back up and see what he's got over a half-season in the big leagues.
2) Max Meyer
Max Meyer was expected to eventually return to the Miami Marlins' major league rotation. The injury to Jesus Luzardo may have accelerated that schedule. Meyer is in AAA and is throwing quite well this season.
Since the Marlins don't have anything to play for, it makes sense for them to explore within for a replacement. Meyer is their number two prospect, but he's probably the most MLB-ready of the bunch.
1) Zack Greinke
Zack Greinke remains unsigned despite expressing a desire to pitch and not retire during the offseason. There would be no expectation or any pressure for the former Kansas City Royals ace if he joined the Marlins since they're pretty much done this season already.
He'd be cheap and could eat innings. Even if Greinke is bad, it helps the Marlins get a better draft pick, so it's a win-win. He's one of the smarter options at this stage for a team like Miami.
