Ex-Cardinals Ace Predicted To Land With Hated Rival In Trade

Former St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sandy Alcántara has been at the center of trade rumors for the entire season since returning from Tommy John surgery this spring. He hasn't been great this season, but it's clear to see the talent and potential are still there.

There have been a lot of teams connected to the Miami Marlins ace, but the one that would haunt the Cardinals the most is the Chicago Cubs.

BALLCAP Sports' Jim Riley predicted that Alcántara would eventually land with the Cubs in a massive trade this season.

"I think it's the Chicago Cubs," Riley said of which team he thinks will land Alcántara. "The Cubs need to be aggressive and really go for it. This may be the only year they have Kyle Tucker. Now I expect the Cubs to compete for several years down the line, and that's great because you have Sandy for a couple more seasons after this. For this year, being in the position they are at the top of the central, they need to go for more pitching."

Of all the landing spots for the former Cardinal, the Cubs would be the worst. This puts the righty on a team that's directly competing with St. Louis for a postseason spot and the National League Central title for the next few seasons.

This would almost certainly put Alcántara on the mound against the Cardinals multiple times over the next few seasons. It would be a complete nightmare for St. Louis to sit back and watch this kind of deal take place.