Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara is one of the top names expected to be available before the MLB trade deadline, but there is a chance he won't be dealt at all.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today has revealed that the Marlins will be fielding offers for Alcantara, but that they will also be sending a clear message to interested teams in the process.
"This was the finest pitcher in baseball in 2022, unanimously winning the Cy Young award. Now, after recovering from Tommy John surgery, he is slowly regaining his form," Nightengale wrote. "He is 2-1 with a 2.74 ERA in four starts this month, and the beauty of Alcantara is that he’s still under contract through the 2027 season. The price tag will be high, and if no one is willing to meet it, the Marlins will simply hold onto him until this winter."
Alcantara missed all of 2024 and got off to a very rough start in 2025, resulting in an ugly 6.69 ERA thus far this season. However, he has appeared to right the ship recently, as Nightengale noted.
The 29-year-old's uptick over the last month should absolutely generate more interest on the trade market, but whether or not ballclubs will be amenable to surrendering a massive haul for him is a major question given the concerns that were present just several weeks ago.
Miami is known to trade players well before their club control is about to expire, so it wouldn't be a surprise if the Marlins send Alcantara packing between now and July 31. However, with a player as special as Alcantara, they will probably be much more patient in this instance.
Expect more and more speculation to ensue in the coming weeks.
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