Luzardo placed on IL with lumbar stress reaction

MIAMI -- The Marlins placed left-hander Jesús Luzardo on the 15-day injured list with lumbar stress reaction on Saturday. According to manager Skip Schumaker, the typical timeline for such a diagnosis is usually 4-6 weeks.

"It's going to be a minute," Schumaker said. "It's not a just one-start type of deal. So it's going to be some time. And hopefully it's more on the four-week side and not the six-week side."

Miami also announced that left-hander Braxton Garrett has been scratched from Sunday's series finale against the Mariners at loanDepot park due to left elbow discomfort. He will undergo further evaluation.

Luzardo, who was scratched on Friday ahead of his scheduled start on Saturday, woke up with a stiff back last Sunday. He still went five innings of two-run ball in Washington, but his velocity was down across the board during the 77-pitch outing.

"He's been feeling it for the last couple of weeks, and then really felt discomfort the last start, so it was time to get the imaging and figure out what's going on back there," Schumaker said. "Just shows you what kind of competitor he is because he did not feel good at all. Still went five, wanted to go six. Probably had no business even starting that day, and somehow pitched a Major League game and gave us a chance to win. Tough news today for a couple different reasons. Obviously Brax as well. It's just another hit to our pitching staff. It's just kind of crazy right now."

The 26-year-old Luzardo has an 86 ERA+ and a 1.25 WHIP in 12 starts this season after posting a 130 ERA+ and a 1.22 WHIP in a breakout 2023. He has been the subject of trade rumors, but with the Deadline on July 30, he might not even be back on the mound by then.

Luzardo previously went on the injured list on April 26 because of left elbow tightness and returned on May 11. The last thing the Marlins want is for Luzardo to alter his mechanics, leading to a serious arm injury.

“It's the kinetic chain, right?” Schumaker said. “You don't want to overdo another side of the body or another part of the body because you're trying not to hurt whatever is being hurt or is hurting. You definitely don't want to push through something, especially the back, because it could lead to other things.

Right-hander Shaun Anderson started in Luzardo's place on Saturday. Anderson was chased in the third inning after giving up seven runs (four earned) in his club debut on June 14.

The Marlins already are without right-handers Sandy Alcantara and Eury Pérez due to Tommy John surgery. Righties Edward Cabrera (right shoulder impingement) and Sixto Sánchez (right shoulder inflammation) as well as left-hander Ryan Weathers (left index finger strain) are all trying to work their way back from the injured list.