Athletics To Face Off Against Possible Trade Deadline Fit

The A's will get a nice look at this Marlins' pitcher today, as he was discussed as a fit for the team.

May 16, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics manager Mark Kotsay (7) talks to media members before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This summer, the A's are going to look to add some help to their pitching staff, as they have one of the worst staffs in the league.

The bullpen has taken some blows recently, with Mark Leiter Jr. hitting the injured list and Scott Barlow getting designated for assignment. The team has also been getting some shaky appearances from Elvis Alvarado, who was expected to become the team's closer.

The rotation has also been an issue for the A's, as they have been short-armed and dealt with numerous underperformances, leading to the optioning of Luis Morales and Jacob Lopez.

Both Lopez and Morales made the Opening Day roster and were also both in the team's rotation to open up the 2026 season.

A's To Face Off Against Sandy Alcantara

Jun 29, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Miami Marlins right fielder Sandy Alcantara (22) pitches in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On Saturday, the A's will take on the tough veteran right-hander Sandy Alcantara. The 30-year-old is a Cy Young Award winner and is also a two-time All-Star. He's spent eight years in the Marlins' organization and could be shipped off sometime this summer.

The A's are coming off a few series losses against the Giants, Angels, and, most recently, the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team salvaged a win in the series finale, thanks to an amazing start by J.T. Ginn.

The top five players that will define the 2026 Trade Deadline, according to @jonmorosi:

1. Tarik Skubal
2. Aroldis Chapman
3. CJ Abrams
4. Reid Detmers
5. Sandy Alcantara pic.twitter.com/lzQxPC9Y2W

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 1, 2026

Now the A's have a tough customer in Sandy Alcantara, who holds a 4.20 ERA in 115.2 innings pitched this season.

Notably, Alcantara leads all of baseball in starts made, shutouts, and batters faced. This means that Alcantara is good at getting through many innings, and the team should see him plenty of times, and hopefully make some adjustments against him.

Alcantara Makes Sense for the A's

Apr 28, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics starting pitcher Aaron Civale (45) throws a pitch against the Kansas City Royals during the second inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sandy Alcantara getting traded to the A's would be the perfect move for both sides. Although the Marlins just had an amazing month of June, it's still going to be tough for them to stay contenders in a solid NL East division.

This means they could trade the rental, as he's a free agent in 2027. The right-hander will command a solid return, but because of his lack of strong numbers and team control, his price won't be something crazy.

Sandy Alcantara sets a new franchise record in a @Marlins win! pic.twitter.com/8rtwJ09ntT

— MLB (@MLB) June 24, 2026

The A's rotation is short of Luis Severino, and they just got Aaron Civale back from the injured list. With the injuries and underperformances, we could see Alcantara join the A's rotation.

If it's not Alcantara, there are plenty of options, including the Cardinals' Dustin May and the Royals' Kris Bubic on the table as well.