Dodgers Keeping Tabs on Cy Young Pitcher as Trade Deadline Nears, Says Insider

USA Today MLB columnist Bob Nightengale reports the Los Angeles Dodgers are one of the teams inquiring about the Miami Marlins' Sandy Alcantara ahead of the trade deadline.

The Dodgers have 14 pitchers on the injured list and have used the most arms in MLB this season, so a healthy Alcantara could bring stability to the Dodgers' pitching staff. Additionally, The Athletic's Jim Bowden reported the Dodgers would look to trade for a starter if their current injured starters can't get healthy.

While rookie Roki Sasaki is not expected to return this season, Shohei Ohtani is set to return to the mound Monday night against the San Diego Padres. However, the Dodgers two-way star is only expected to pitch an inning as he builds back up.

Therefore, the Dodgers could still use Alcantara in the rotation.

The Marlins finished last in the NL East in 2024 and are on track to do so again in 2025, so they will likely be one of the league's top sellers come the deadline. Alcantara, the 2022 NL Cy Young award winner, is a prime trade candidate for the Marlins, who could further strengthen their farm system. The Dodgers have five MLB Top 100 prospects, and could send a number of them to the Marlins for a good enough return.

Alcantara had a rough start to the season after missing 2024 in recovery from Tommy John surgery, but has been far better in June than the rest of the season up to that point. After posting an 8.47 ERA through 11 starts, he has a 1.50 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 12 innings through his last two starts.

In his Cy Young season, Alcantara led MLB in WAR (8.0), complete games (6), shutouts (1), and innings pitched (228.2). The Dodgers desperately need an arm who can go deeper into games like Alcantara, as their starters have thrown the second-fewest innings in the Major Leagues this year, and their bullpen is incredibly thin.

The Dodgers planned to have a rotation of Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Sasaki this season, however with Snell, Glasnow and Sasaki on the injured list, their need for a starting pitcher is higher than ever.

They currently sit at the top of the NL West, leading the San Francisco Giants by a game, and will need to strengthen their pitching staff if they're to continue setting the pace in their division.