Blue Jays Urged to Trade for Former Cy Young Award Winner Before Opening Day
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With spring training underway for the Toronto Blue Jays, the team is starting to take shape for the 2026 campaign. However, it might behoove the team to try to make another move to solidify the roster.
Following a loss in the World Series, it was an extremely aggressive start to the winter for the Blue Jays. This was a team that was inches away from winning a championship, and they now know what it will take to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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This offseason, a clear goal for the team was to improve the starting rotation. They started this winter out with a bang by signing Dylan Cease to a long-term contract. Furthermore, they also added Cody Ponce in free agency to help provide some depth.
What did come as a bit of a surprise following those two additions was that they were also interested in Framber Valdez prior to him signing with the Detroit Tigers. However, with a couple of pitchers banged up for the unit, it might make sense for them to consider adding another arm.
Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently wrote that the Blue Jays should consider trading for Miami Marlins right-hander and former National League Cy Young award winner, Sandy Alcantara.
Alcantara Could Push Rotation Over the Top
After coming back from Tommy John surgery last year, Alcantara quickly became one of the most talked-about names in trade rumors last season. Unfortunately for the talented right-hander, he didn’t hit the ground running upon his return to the Majors.
Alcantara really struggled for a good chunk of the campaign, and that likely resulted in him staying with the Marlins through the deadline. However, as the season went on, he started to pitch better, and Miami ended up finishing off the second half fairly strongly.
Due to the team already trading Edward Cabrera this offseason, anything is going to be on the table for them, and moving Alcantara wouldn’t be too surprising. For the Blue Jays, it would take a significant trade package in order to acquire him, but he did flash some of that elite form later on in the season.
Since Toronto knows that type of rotation that they could be facing if they make it back to the World Series against the Dodgers, it appears that trying to match that is a desire for the franchise. Adding Alcantara into the mix would provide them with another potential All-Star and really help set the team up for success.
Nick Ziegler is an alumnus of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. He has been working in sports media covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL for nearly a decade with various publications online. With his free time, Nick enjoys being at the Jersey Shore with his wife, daughter, and their golden retriever. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @NickZiegler20.