Miami Marlins Connected to Chicago Cubs in Potential Trade Talks

The Miami Marlins are likely to be sellers at the trade deadline, and the Chicago Cubs are linked to ace Sandy Alcantara per MLB insider Jeff Passan.

"Among Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd and Jameson Taillon, the Cubs have a perfectly OK starting rotation to take into a playoff series," wrote Passan. "Considering the lineups they could face in the NL playoffs -- the Dodgers, Phillies, Mets and Diamondbacks, among others -- OK might not be enough. And that's not to say Alcántara would suddenly morph into a world-beater once he put on a Cubs uniform. He's just the kind of guy on whom teams in need take a risk."

Alcantara was one of the best pitchers in baseball just a few seasons ago, but he has struggled over the last two years.

In the 2025 season, Alcantara is 2-7 with a 7.89 ERA. This is a far cry from the 2022 season when Alcantara was 14-9 with a 2.27 ERA and had 208 strikeouts.

In that season, Alcantara led the MLB in WAR (8.0), complete games (6), complete game shutouts (1), and innings pitched (228.2).

Alcantara was an All-Star and won the Cy Young award in the NL in that season.

The 29-year-old hasn't played close to that level in 2025, but a new situation could help Alcantara get back to form.

Alcantara will make $17.3 million this year and next year, with a team option for $21 million in 2027.

The Cubs are one of the best teams in the National League, holding a 40-26 record. However, with talented teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets, Chicago could use another talented starter.

With the Marlins in last place in the NL East at 24-40, trading away Alcantara makes sense, and the Cubs could be an ideal landing spot.