Inside The Cardinals

MLB Insider Lists Ex-Cardinals Ace As 'Best Trade Chip'

Sandy Alcántara is going to be one of the more interesting names at the trade deadline.
Zach Pressnell|
Apr 15, 2019; Milwaukee, WI, USA; A cap rests on the dug out wall with the number 42 on the hat in honor of Major League Baseball s Jackie Robinson Day. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
Apr 15, 2019; Milwaukee, WI, USA; A cap rests on the dug out wall with the number 42 on the hat in honor of Major League Baseball s Jackie Robinson Day. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

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The St. Louis Cardinals were the first big league team to give right hander Sandy Alcántara a shot. Now around a decade later, he's expected to be one of the most sought after players at the trade deadline as a member of the Miami Marlins.

Alcántara is having a rough year coming off of Tommy John surgery, but there are still a lot of people who believe in his ability and potential, making him quite an intriguing trade target.

Christine De Nicola of MLB.com recently added fuel to the Alcántara trade rumors by listing him as the Marlins' best trade chip ahead of the 2025 MLB trade deadline.

"Though Alcantara enters Monday with the highest ERA (7.89) in the Majors among 112 pitchers with at least 50 innings, he remains one of the biggest names on the market because of his pedigree (2022 NL Cy Young), stuff (92nd-percentile fastball velocity) and club control (through 2027)," De Nicola wrote. "Alcantara looked more like himself in his most recent start, completing a season-high-tying six innings on just 70 pitches with 10 groundouts."

The righty has a few more years of team control at a very affordable price on his contract. But if he continues to perform the way he has for a majority of this season, he's not going to be valuable to any MLB team.

But if somebody is able to land him in a blockbuster deal and help him regain the form that won the 2022 National League Cy Young award, an Alcántara trade could shift the entire league.

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Zach Pressnell
ZACH PRESSNELL

Zach Pressnell has experience covering all major US sports at both the professional and collegiate levels. He’s produced content for FanSided, Blog Red Machine, The Game Haus, Bethany College Athletics and the Bethany College online newspaper, He graduated from Bethany College (WV) with a degree in Communications and Media Arts, specializing in Sports Journalism. Pressnell was also a four-year member of the baseball team where he earned himself All-PAC recognition as a pitcher (and a cool Tommy John surgery scar). Now, Pressnell specializes in NFL and MLB coverage for Sports Illustrated’s “On SI” network among others. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "St. Louis Cardinals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

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