Giants Named Trade Fit for Reclamation Project Former Superstar Cy Young Winner

The San Francisco Giants find themselves in an interesting position.

Not expected to do much this season by analysts and pundits alike, they have been one of the biggest surprises during the early going of the campaign, owning a 31-25 record that is the seventh-best mark in the National League.

They are firmly in the mix for a playoff spot, and that means they will likely be buyers ahead of the trade deadline.

But who they target is a whole different discussion.

The Giants don't have a strong farm system to deal from, so that will make it difficult for them to land some of the top-tier players who are placed on the trade block.

Could that result in them going after a volatile high-upside player?

In the mind of CBS Sports' R.J. Anderson, he believes Sandy Alcantara would be a fit for San Francisco if they are willing to take that risk.

Saying that acquiring Alcantara is a risk would be laughable a few years ago.

The right-hander was one of the rising aces in the game, putting together a great season in 2019 that earned him his first All-Star nod before finishing with a 3.88 ERA across his 32 starts. That began a stretch of three consecutive campaigns where he posted a sub-4.00 ERA with ERA+ figures well above the league average of 100.

Then, in 2022, everything culminated in an NL Cy Young-winning performance where he led the National League in bWAR (8.0), innings pitched (228.2), complete games (8) and shutouts (1).

Alcantara seemed like he was on his way to superstardom, but he regressed the following year with a 4.14 ERA in 28 starts until he was placed on the injured list in early-September with right forearm flexor strain.

Later testing revealed damage to his UCL, and he underwent the dreaded Tommy John surgery.

Since that point, he has not looked the same after missing the entire 2024 campaign.

Alcantara currently owns an 8.27 ERA in 11 starts with a 2-7 record, giving the Miami Marlins virtually no chance to win games whenever he has been handed the ball.

Once viewed as a trade chip that would cost a ton to acquire, there are now real questions if the Marlins will be able to get anything substantial back for him at the deadline.

If they still decide to trade him, why would the Giants be interested?

They would be banking on him returning to form in a pitcher-friendly ballpark, giving themselves another quality arm in their rotation to put behind Logan Webb and Robbie Ray as Hayden Birdsong and Landen Roupp navigate the Major League season.

It would be a risk.

There's no guarantee that Alcantara will find his past form coming off a serious surgical procedure. But if San Francisco feels like he can help them, then the price to acquire him is likely going to be a bargain compared to what was projected even a few months ago.

More From Giants On SI