The New York Mets re-signed Sean Manaea and made a trio of additions to their rotation this offseason. Beyond Manaea, they signed Clay Holmes, Frankie Montas, and Griffin Canning to stick in the rotation. But after injuries to Manaea and Montas, the rotation looks mediocre at best.
Let's be honest. A starting rotation with Canning, Holmes, David Peterson, Kodai Senga, and Tylor Megill isn't going to be enough to win the World Series. The Mets could look to bring in a superstar pitcher to help dethrone the Los Angeles Dodgers and win the NL in 2025.
If the Mets are willing to make a huge move, trading for Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcántara could be a league-altering deal.
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This Mets-Marlins trade would bolster New York's rotation with a Cy Young ace
Alcántara was the best pitcher on the planet in 2022, as he took home the NL Cy Young award. He took a step back in 2023 before suffering a torn UCL and undergoing Tommy John surgery. The righty missed the entire 2024 season, but he's looked like the pitcher he was in 2022 this spring. Pair that with his team-friendly contract and you have a player that would take a loaded haul of prospects to land.
Sproat, 24, is a top 100 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. The righty was incredible in 2024 and it's hard to imagine a world where he spends the entire 2025 season in the minor leagues. He's on the brink of a big-league promotion no matter which team he's with.
Williams, 21, is another top 100 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The versatile defender has the potential to be a true five-tool prospect if everything clicks for him. While he struggled in 2024, his raw talent is more than enough to keep him among the best prospects in the game.
Tong, 21, has an electric arsenal led by an explosive 65-grade fastball. He put together an excellent 2024 campaign with a 3.03 ERA in over 100 innings. If he repeats this kind of success in 2025, the righty could turn some heads and find himself on a big-league roster by September call-ups.
Baro, 20, has looked solid in two years of pro ball. He's slashing .280/.363/.391 in 102 career minor league games. The infield prospect has solid tools across the board and could develop into a quality big league infielder over the next few years if he can keep his OPS over .800.
The Marlins don't need an ace like Alcántara with the state of their team. Trading him makes sense, and if they can land a haul of prospects like this, it's a no-brainer. For the Mets, a deal like this would give them an ace for the next three seasons on a team-friendly deal. While they would need to trade a lot to land him, Alcántara would be worth it and potentially more if he can stay healthy.