MIAMI — Jesus Luzardo bent all the way over and walked off the mound in frustration after another inning — after another round of crushing walks — and sent the Miami Marlins into a three-run hole against the Atlanta Braves.
He knew his day was over and shook his head at another frustrating failure. After surviving through three shutout innings, Luzardo let the first six batters he faced in the fourth all reach safely and headed back to the clubhouse after issuing another five walks, leaving the Marlins in an early bind on the way to an 11-9 loss.
It was the pitcher’s shortest outing yet as a Marlin, lasting just three innings and six batters, and the four earned runs caused his ERA to swell again. In four games with Miami, Luzardo has 9.68 ERA, 17 strikeouts and 16 walks in 17 2/3 innings, yet the Marlins still are not ready to worry about their highest-profile trade-deadline acquisition.
“Anytime you identify things like that, those things don’t just take a screwdriver, you turn a knob and it’s all fixed,” manager Don Mattingly said. “A lot of things take time with guys because they build habits or thoughts and there are little things, and it has to be a trust.”
Since making a solid debut for Miami by holding the New York Mets to three runs in five innings Aug. 2, Luzardo has served up a series of debacles. In his second start Aug. 7, Luzardo gave up seven earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. In his third Friday, Luzardo gave up five in five innings, although he did get the win against the Chicago Cubs.
His fourth start had all the familiar problems. He showed off a tantalizing 98-mph fastball and racked up four strikeouts, but most opposing contact was hard — five of eight batted balls went at least 95 mph — and a total loss of command knocked him out of the game before he recorded an out in the fourth inning.
At times, there are reminders of why MLB.com once pegged him as the No. 12 overall prospect in baseball. More often, there are reminders of why he had mostly been relegated to the bullpen for the Oakland Athletics and why they were willing to part with him last month.
“Even though we’ve seen a few bumps, we’ve also seen him settle down at different points,” general manager Kim Ng said. “Being with a new club is a little overwhelming. Just going to be patient with him.”
For now, Luzardo’s command issues are frustrating him — his 8.7 walks per nine innings since arriving in Miami are more double his career average — and he hopes his work with pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. will start to show in his results before the end of the year.
For Mattingly, it’s just the time he’s seeing Luzardo spend with Stottlemyre that’s most important.
There’s only so much Luzardo, who graduated from Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2016, can change in the middle of the season. The winter will be his chance to start becoming the pitcher he always hoped he’d become.
“They’ve been talking about some things and they’re working on some things that he identifies,” Mattingly said. “My goal for him is to get him consistent work, get him out there every fifth day, see what it looks like, try to keep working and getting better, and hopefully take him into the winter in a positive frame of mind and a positive place where he can continue to work throughout the winter.
“We love what he can be.”
