It’s a matter of when, not if the Miami Marlins trade Sandy Alcantara at this rate. The Marlins are a small-market team, and thus serve as a farm system for larger markets when they aren’t competitive. In a crowded NL East which features World Series contenders like the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets and Atlanta Braves, it’s tough to envision the Marlins postseason path.
However, the Marlins are not ready to sell their primary asset just yet. Alcantara won the NL Cy Young award in 2022, but since then has struggled with consistency and injuries. Alcantara is coming off Tommy John surgery, but is signed through 2027 on a team-friendly deal. That makes him quite valuable, especially if he can bounce back strong by the MLB trade deadline.
“I want to play here and win here,” Alcantara told Miami reporters this week. “This team gave me an opportunity to be a starting pitcher and be a superstar. I signed here to stay here.’’
Cubs chances of landing Sandy Alcantara aren’t all that high
Of all the teams which would be interested in Alcantara, one that makes the most sense is the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs are dealing with their own injury woes, primarily to ace Justin Steele, who will undergo “revision repair” of the left ulnar collateral ligament. Because Steele opted for surgery, he will miss the 2025 season. This leaves the Cubs rotation short a capable starter, as there’s only so much Shota Imanaga can do. Craig Counsell is one of the best managers in MLB, but it’s a big ask to get this Cubs pitching staff to the postseason as currently constructed.
The bad news for the Cubs is that, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Marlins don’t intend on rushing a trade for Alcantara. Chicago has the prospects to make this deal happen, and Alcantara’s contract is an ideal fit for a Cubs ownership group that would prefer not to increase payroll by a substantial margin.
And just to make it clear, the Marlins are making the right call by hanging onto Alcantara. His value should only go up as contenders become more desperate for starting pitching closer to the trade deadline.
The Cubs and Jed Hoyer can only hope they’re in contention to acquire him in late July.
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