Blue Jays May Need to Make Trade for This Superstar Ace to Save Rotation

The Toronto Blue Jays might require another arm.

Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays are off to a fairly tough start to the year, entering the new week five games below .500 and struggling to find any sort of consistency here over this first month.

While there are numerous reasons that can be pointed to for this including injuries on offense, inconsistency from stars that are healthy and everything in between, it's no secret the pitching staff is the biggest problem right now.

Outside of the dynamic duo at the top of the rotation in Dylan Cease and Kevin Gausman, Toronto has dealt with several arms going down to injury, and those who are on the field like Max Scherzer and Eric Lauer struggling badly.

If the Blue Jays are going to be relevant deep into October once again, they may need an outside addition beyond just guys like Shane Bieber who they hope can get healthy. Once again, Toronto should be one of the top candidates at the trade deadline this summer for Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara.

Blue Jays Should Be Serious Threat for Sandy Alcantara

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

Alcantara was returning from Tommy John last year and as a result, his production was a little bit shaky. This year, he has returned after a very impressive close to the 2025 season and started with a 3.06 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in his first five starts.

Just as he was last year, Alcantara is going to be the hottest commodity at the deadline, and if Miami is out of contention, this could be the year they finally part ways with the former National League Cy Young winner.

Given that he is only under team control through next season, he should command less of a return than the Marlins were trying to collect ahead of the deadline last year. A year and a half of one of the more dependable arms in the league is still massively valuable though, and Toronto would have to outbid others.

What Alcantara Would Cost Blue Jays in Trade

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Alcantara would certainly be coming with a price, but clearly Miami has not been reasonable over the last two years with what they have been asking, otherwise the right-hander would be playing elsewhere by now.

Names like Trey Yesavage, JoJo Parker and Arjun Nimmala are obviously non-starters here, but a top-ten prospect is likely what it would take as the centerpiece of a deal for Alcantara.

If Toronto can keep its head above water and still be in striking distance at the deadline to the point where Alcantara could push them back into October, perhaps someone like Johnny King or Juan Sanchez along with some lower level names could be enough to get it done.

The Marlins are a team worth keeping an eye on as a group that could re-shape the deadline depending on their approach, and the Blue Jays should be watching Alcantara closely.