Sandy Alcantara gave the Marlins exactly the kind of reminder that can swing a trade deadline: seven shutout innings, a 1-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, and another look at the frontline starter he’s been when everything is clicking.
For Miami, though, Tuesday may have been about more than beating Philadelphia. With the deadline set for Aug. 3 at 6 p.m.
EST, Alcantara’s outing came in what could be his final start in a Marlins uniform. The club has won two straight after dropping 12 in a row before Monday, but at nine games back in the National League East and two games out of the final Wild Card spot, the Marlins are positioned to sell.
Alcantara knows the situation, even if he can’t control the outcome.
“So I'm here, I play for the Marlins,” Alcantara said to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. “I don't have much to say about if I'm going to get traded or not.
So, always blessed to be here every day. If something happens, it just happens."
That’s been the reality for the 30-year-old, who has spent most of his career with Miami aside from eight games with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2017. He was one of four players sent to the Marlins in the Marcell Ozuna deal, and the organization has been home ever since.
From Miami’s side, moving him makes sense. The Marlins have shown enough to suggest they could be in the Wild Card mix in the next few seasons, but they still need more pieces to get there. Trading a pitcher like Alcantara could bring back the kind of talent that helps close that gap.
The timing also works in Miami’s favor. Alcantara is a former Cy Young Award winner from 2022, and he has a club option for next season worth $21 million. That gives the Marlins a chance to cash in now, and president of baseball operations Peter Bendix would be smart to do it.
Tarik Skubal is the biggest name on the market, but the Detroit Tigers are expected to ask for a huge return for the left-hander. That could make Alcantara an appealing alternative for a contender looking for a proven arm without paying the absolute top price.
And the case for Alcantara is strong. Since returning from Tommy John surgery two years ago, he has shown the durability that makes him so valuable. He leads MLB with 150.2 innings pitched and 16 quality starts, a reminder that his value right now may be as high as it’s ever been.
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