The New York Yankees are in the market for pitching upgrades, but a Sandy Alcantara trade appears unlikely based on the latest report regarding the veteran right-hander’s availability.
The Miami Marlins intend to keep Alcantara, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The club is expected to be a buyer at the trade deadline. Alcantara has been the frequent subject of trade rumors for the past couple of seasons. The Marlins are one of the hottest teams in the league and decided to retain their ace instead of flipping him for prospects.
A Yankees trade has been mentioned for multiple seasons, as New York looked to build out pitching depth that has been crushed by injuries. Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Max Fried have all missed time recently. Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil have also dealt with injuries.
The Yankees and Marlins already connected on a starting pitcher trade this year, with Ryan Weathers heading to New York for a slew of prospects. Weathers has been one of the more reliable starters for the team this season.
New York Yankees Trade For Sandy Alcantara Appears Unlikely After Report Miami Marlins Will Be Buyers
Alcantara earned his 10th win last time out, dominating the Athletics with eight innings of one-run ball. The righty lowered his ERA to 4.00 with the strong outing. Alcantara closed May with an ugly two-start stretch that saw him permit 14 earned runs over 11.2 innings. He uncharacteristically allowed five home runs in those two appearances. Alcantara shook off a 7.39 ERA in May to put together a solid 3.35 mark in June. He’s gone more than six innings in four of his last seven starts.
The 30-year-old Alcantara has been one of the most consistent starters in the league since joining the Marlins in 2018. He led the league in starts in 2021 and paced all pitchers in innings in 2022. Alcantara has earned two All-Star selections. His most dominant campaign came in 2022, when he posted a 2.28 ERA across 228.2 innings. Alcantara tossed six complete games and racked up 8.0 WAR (per Baseball Reference) on his way to National League Cy Young honors.
The Marlins have won six straight games and 16 of their last 20 contests. The club set a franchise record with 20 wins in June. The ridiculous run has vaulted Miami into a tie for second place in the NL East standings. The Marlins are only three games back from the division-leading Atlanta Braves. The club is three games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals for the final Wild Card spot.
Where Can the Yankees Find Pitching Help?
The Yankees lost Rodon last week to elbow inflammation. He is already playing catch, so the hope is that the big lefty won’t be sidelined for too long. Fried is working his way back from an elbow bruise. He’s still weeks away from returning to a big-league mound.
With Alcantara off the table, New York can turn its attention to other arms. Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers would be the big swing, but the Yankees might not have the prospect capital to pry him away. Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo of the Kansas City Royals would be more reasonable targets, though they won’t come cheap, per Rosenthal.
Yankees Get Bad News on Sandy Alcantara Trade Pursuit