Athletics Could Still Land This Ace Before Trade Deadline
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We are quickly approaching the MLB trade deadline at 3 pm PT on Monday, and the A's look poised to sell some talent and get ready to compete next season and in Las Vegas in 2028.
We got a taste of baseball in Las Vegas during the Vegas Series earlier this season, and it surely looked like a great time, as well as introducing the team to the Vegas natives.
Because the team is geared up to compete next season, trading away all their talent seems like a bad idea. Shipping off someone like Jonah Heim could be smart, as contenders are searching for catching help, and he's a free agent at the season's end.
We have also discussed guys like Tommy White getting traded in a deal to possibly land the Mariners' young starter, Emerson Hancock. If they aren't able to land him, Miami might have a strong option for the A's.
Sandy Alcantara Could Be Traded Before Monday
Over a month ago, we discussed how Alcantara is a perfect fit for the A's, as he could bring a true ace to the pitcher-needy club.
However, as we have seen, the Marlins were winning many baseball games, and the A's were slowly falling down in the division and ultimately out of contention. This led many, just a few weeks ago, to believe the Marlins would be buyers, and obviously wouldn't look to trade their ace.
Sandy Alcántara, Dirty 85mph Sweeper. 😨 pic.twitter.com/ZxNx4FccsG
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 28, 2026
Since then, the Marlins have been one of the coldest teams in baseball, and going cold in a super difficult NL East division can take you out of contention quickly. Now, the Marlins could look to deal Alcantara before he hits the open market in 2027.
Don't Count the A's Out for Sandy Alcantara
You might be thinking it's crazy for the A's to trade for an ace like Alcantara at this point in the season. Maybe it is a little bit crazy, but it would instantly improve the team's rotation for the remainder of this season and, most importantly, next season.
Sure, the A's could wait until the offseason to add another arm, but doing it now could get him familiar with pitching in the minor league stadium, Sutter Health Park. The A's have another season to play there before their move to Vegas in 2028.
Sandy Alcantara tonight:
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) July 29, 2026
7 IP | 4 H | 0 ER | 1 BB | 5 K
He pitched at least 7 innings in 4 of his 5 starts this month 🐠 pic.twitter.com/YS1pQ210TD
If Alcantara could make starts with the A's this season and gain familiarity with the staff, the stadium, and his teammates, it could be a recipe for success next season when the team will hopefully be contenders again.
Alcantara has pitched each of his last eight seasons in Miami, so a change of scenery will be different for him, and instead of making that adjustment in important games next season, he could do it this year in what feels like a wash at this point.
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Dylan Quinn grew up playing baseball, and also enjoyed watching and writing about his favorite team, the A’s. Being a diehard A’s fan from New Jersey is certainly not common, but he loves the team and all of the current and former players so much. Quinn currently attends school at Penn State Scranton where he plays baseball.
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