The hot stove has remained cool for the Phillies, so I’ll take another look at a player who has been rumored to be available on the trade market and analyze if he is someone the Phillies should pursue.
Sandy Alcantara
The background
Sandy Alcantara was signed as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic by the St. Louis Cardinals. In 2017, he was traded to the Miami Marlins as part of a package for Marcell Ozuna, and he soon developed into one of the best pitchers in baseball. He won the National League Cy Young Award in 2022, but after a down 2023 season, was diagnosed with an elbow strain that required Tommy John surgery.
He returned in 2025, and while he remained healthy, the results were poor, putting up a 5.36 ERA.
Why he might be available
The usual question of “If this guy is any good, why is he on the trade market?” often doesn’t apply to the Marlins. They are perennially caught between attempting to contend and rebuilding and regularly jettison expensive veterans. With Alcantara signed through 2026 with a team option in 2027, they might want to receive some compensation before he inevitably leaves as a free agent.
Why the Phillies would be interested
The Phillies did well in targeting a Marlins pitcher recovering from an injury last offseason, so why not do it again?
Alcantara is a former Cy Young winner now another year removed from Tommy John surgery. While his overall numbers were down in 2025, his velocity was strong, and his performance seemed to improve as the season progressed. If he can regain his pre-injury form, the Phillies could have another ace at the top of the rotation. If he can at least retain his August and September form, then they’d have a solid mid-rotation pitcher. And if he is bad, they can decline his 2027 option after paying him less in 2026 than they will Taijuan Walker.
Why the Phillies would not be interested
Alcantara was rumored to be on the trade market last season, but the Marlins ended up keeping him, so they might be asking for a lot. Then again, they have a new general manager in place, so internal opinions on Alcantara might have changed since then.
This will be a recurring theme with these trade articles, but the Phillies have only so many assets they can use in a trade. There are reasons to be optimistic about Alcantara returning to form, but do you really want to use your limited assets on a pitcher who is this much of a question mark?
Would I do the trade?
If the asking price is Andrew Painter or Aidan Miller, I say no. Beyond that, I think Alcantara’s upside would be worth the gamble.
