The Chicago Cubs have long been linked to Sandy Alcantara, The Miami Marlins will make their ace available at the trade deadline, but the questions remains whether he deserves that title. Alcantara hasn't been the same the last three years. In fact, since winning the NL Cy Young in 2022, Alcantara has been a detriment to the Marlins success. While his contract makes Alcantara an attractive asset to some contenders, he ought to come with a warning label. Not every pitcher can be fixed, especially if they've undergone Tommy John surgery like Alcantara did in 2023.
Alcantara has a 7.22 ERA in 2025. While he's shown some flashes of his former self, he hasn't been consistent, and certainly should not be relied upon as any contender's rotation answer. If the Cubs want one of those, they ought to look elsewhere.
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Any Cubs trade for Sandy Alcantara comes with baggage
ESPN's Jeff Passan linked Alcantara to the north side of Chicago once again on Thursday morning:
"Whether it's Alcántara or another starter, the Cubs are a good starter away from having one of the top teams in baseball. Their offense is undeniable. Their defense is magnificent. Their bullpen has been a pleasant surprise. Adding a playoff-caliber starter, even if it pushes Chicago past the $241 million luxury-tax threshold, would reward a team that has brought excitement back to the North Side of Chicago," Passan wrote.
The Cubs should be weary, though, if only because of what Passan mentioned just prior to that paragraph, noting that Alcantara's market likely won't reflect his resume as a former NL Cy Young winner in part due to his recent struggles and his deal. On the surface, Alcantara being signed to a team-friendly deal through the 2027 season is a good thing. However, that's exactly what the Marlins are pushing. It means they'll be asking a lot for a starting pitcher who hasn't looked like his former self in the better part of three years.
Cubs have options beyond Sandy Alcantara at the trade deadline
On the other side of that coin, if contenders like the Cubs refuse to give in to the Marlins' demands, then they could be forced to trade him for a cheaper valuation. Jed Hoyer and many other front office executives would be interested in that proposition. Yet, all it takes is one contender to bank on Alcantara pitching like a playoff-caliber starting pitcher – and thus offer a trade package that amounts to such a player – for the bidding to get out of hand.
The Cubs do have other options, as well. They could target Arizona Diamondbacks pitchers Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly for an immediate upgrade that doesn't come with Alcantara's baggage. If the Cubs are able to turn around Alcantara's career, then he is absolutely worth the Marlins asking price. They shouldn't bank on it, though.