Cubs Eye Sandy Alcántara as Trade Target Ahead of Deadline

As the trade deadline approaches, the Chicago Cubs have set their sights on Sandy Alcántara, the talented right-hander for the Miami Marlins. This isn’t the first time Alcántara’s name has surfaced in trade discussions; he was a hot topic last year and again in December. However, the Marlins opted to hold onto him, a decision that has seemingly paid off given his stellar performance this season.

Alcántara has been a workhorse on the mound, leading Major League Baseball in both games started and innings pitched, amassing 150.2 innings—12 more than any other pitcher. His recent outing against the Philadelphia Phillies was particularly impressive, as he tossed seven shutout innings while striking out five, lowering his season ERA to 3.81, marking his best performance since winning the NL Cy Young Award in 2022.

After missing the entirety of the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery, Alcántara appears fully recovered, although his strikeout rate has dipped slightly. Despite this, he continues to showcase his ability to throw hard, a trait that has made him a coveted asset.

The Marlins, who were briefly in the wild card race, faced a challenging stretch that saw them lose 12 consecutive games. However, they’ve managed to bounce back, winning two straight against the Phillies to return to .500 and remain just two games out of the final wild card spot. With teams like the Diamondbacks, Pirates, Nationals, and Padres ahead of them, the question looms: will the Marlins be sellers before Monday’s deadline?

Craig Mish, a respected writer covering the Marlins, weighed in on the team’s potential moves, stating, “I think there clearly is a pivot for the Marlins at this point. I don’t expect them to be flat-out sellers. However, I also don’t believe they will be buying any players for right now. Any trades that they potentially will make I believe will be for the future.” He also suggested that while Alcántara is not on the trading block, players with expiring contracts like Pete Fairbanks could attract interest.

Mish emphasized, “We have to stop talking about Sandy Alcantara being traded! He’s not going to be traded. There are a lot of players on this team… Eury Pérez, Max Meyer, Joe Mack—these are cornerstone-type players. I believe they will be with this team through the deadline and through the future.” While Mish is confident about Alcántara’s status, the unpredictable nature of trade season means anything could happen.

It’s worth noting that Alcántara’s performance at home has been significantly better this season, with an impressive 2.95 ERA in 11 starts compared to a 4.66 ERA on the road. Though his road numbers have been affected by a couple of poor outings early in the season, he has since stabilized his performance.

Alcántara is currently the highest-paid player on the Marlins roster, earning $17 million, and has a team option for 2027 at $21 million, with a $2 million buyout. Given the Marlins’ current payroll constraints—ranking 29th in cash spent and last in luxury tax—it’s plausible they may look to trade Alcántara for young, cost-controlled talent. The Cubs, with their financial flexibility, could potentially absorb that team option.

Last winter, the Cubs executed a deal with the Marlins, sending Owen Caissie and two minor leaguers for Edward Cabrera. If the Cubs were to pursue Alcántara, a package including Jaxon Wiggins and Kevin Alcántara might be a starting point for negotiations. As the clock ticks down to the trade deadline, all eyes will be on the Marlins and their star pitcher.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.