Starting pitching will always be in demand around the league, as teams are in constant search for healthy, effective arms to take the ball every five days.
Given the scarcity of such arms, the annual Trade Deadline chatter often revolves around the few starters who become available.
Even some of the best teams in baseball would benefit from the addition of another starter, so when we asked a number of executives who would be the biggest name moved prior to July 31, it was hardly surprising that a starting pitcher received more votes than anybody else.
But a starter with an 8.42 ERA?
That shows just how much executives think of Sandy Alcantara, the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner who returned this season after missing all of 2024 following Tommy John surgery.
Before we dive into Alcantara’s future, here’s a look at how executives answered the question:
Sandy Alcantara (12 votes)
Luis Robert Jr. (5 votes)
Nolan Arenado (1 vote)
Framber Valdez (1 vote)
Alcantara is 2-4 with that unsightly 8.42 ERA in his first seven starts, allowing 32 hits and 18 walks over 31 innings. He’s been knocked out before completing three innings in two of his past four outings, giving up seven runs in 2 2/3 innings against the Dodgers on April 29 and six runs over two innings against the Phillies on April 18. He’s gotten to the sixth inning only twice this season.
Velocity hasn’t been the issue for Alcantara, whose average fastball of 97.2 mph puts him in the 91st percentile of all pitchers. His ground-ball percentage (49.5) ranks in the 76th percentile, which is an encouraging sign, but some of his other Statcast numbers are somewhat alarming:
Chase percentage: 23.4 (15th percentile)
Strikeout percentage: 16.2 (15th percentile)
Walk percentage: 12.7 (15th percentile)
Hard-hit percentage: 48.5 (11th percentile)
Average exit velocity: 91.5 mph (11th percentile)
Executives don’t seem concerned by the early results as Alcantara finds his groove following surgery.
“The longer he is removed from the injury the better he will likely be,” an American League executive said. “At the Deadline, he could demand a pretty price with up to two-and-a-half years of control remaining on his contract.”
That contract, along with his track record, is why Alcantara figures to be an appealing asset as the season progresses. Alcantara signed a five-year, $56 million extension in November 2021, locking him in through 2026. He is earning $17.3 million this year and next, while the contract also includes a $21 million club option for 2027.
Given the exorbitant cost of starting pitching – Marcus Stroman is making $18 million this season, for example – Alcantara’s deal should be attractive to most clubs, as long as they believe he will find his old form in the near future.
“It’s not very often a Cy Young caliber starting pitcher is available on the market,” an NL executive said. “If he gets back to his old ways, he can have a major impact on who ends up the eventual World Series champion.”
The Marlins are off to another subpar start to the season, their 14-22 record leaving them in last place in a very competitive NL East. Even with three Wild Card spots, Miami’s record ranks ahead of only the Pirates and Rockies, making the idea of a postseason berth a longshot at best.
One rival executive simply said the Marlins “need to cash him in,” and given the club’s recent teardown, there’s no reason to believe he won’t be traded as long as there are signs of improvement over the next two months.
“He is going to continue to build up and re-establish his stuff and command as he returns from TJ,” an AL executive said. “[Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix] will be motivated to continue to stock the system with as much talent as he can.”
“Do the Marlins have any other logical choice?” an NL executive said.
The bigger question might be when, not if, he’ll be dealt. A year ago, the Marlins jumped the trade market by sending Luis Arraez to the Padres on May 4. During the final week before the Deadline, Miami also traded Jazz Chisholm Jr., Tanner Scott, A.J. Puk, Josh Bell, Trevor Rogers and Bryan De La Cruz, making six deals on Deadline day.
“Alcantara would be the obvious answer if it weren’t so likely that they could trade him well before this column runs, just based on what they did last year,” an AL executive said.
The other player to receive multiple votes was Luis Robert Jr. of the White Sox, who had been widely expected to be moved during the offseason. Robert’s disappointing 2024 season – he hit 14 homers with 35 RBIs and a .657 OPS in 100 games – didn’t allow the White Sox to get the return they were seeking, and although the 27-year-old is off to a slow start this season (5 HR, 16 RBIs, .642 OPS), he's tied for the MLB lead with 15 stolen bases, ranks among the league leaders in walks and has been solid defensively.
“Even with a modest start, the underlying tools remain elite,” an AL executive said. “He offers a rare blend of power, speed, and center-field defense that could reshape a contender’s outfield.”
Robert signed a six-year, $50 million extension with the White Sox in January 2020, a deal that is paying him $15 million this season and includes $20 million club options for 2026 and 2027. Robert’s salary is currently the second-highest on Chicago’s roster behind only Andrew Benintendi ($17.1 million this season and next, $15.1 million in 2027), and given the team’s rebuild, it seems logical that they would try to trade him.
“He’s off to a slow start, but I still believe clubs will have interest,” an NL executive said. “The White Sox have to trade him at this point.”