How Marlins Can Leave ‘Convinced’ MLB Execs Stunned at Trade Deadline

The Miami Marlins have one of the most coveted players at this August’s trade deadline. But baseball has been here before.

Florida Marlins president of operations Peter Bendix. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

If it weren’t for Tarik Skubal, the entire trade deadline market might be centered around Miami Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara.

And it might still. There is no guarantee that the Detroit Tigers will trade the two-time American League Cy Young winner, especially if they can find their way back into the playoff race.

Even if hit hits the market, Alcantara will still be highly sought after by teams looking to upgrade their rotation. But teams have been here before. So what’s the difference this time around?

Sandy Alcantara’s Trade Market

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

USA Today columnist Bob Nightengale wrote about Alcantara in his Sunday notes column. In it, he wrote that teams are “convinced” this is the year the Marlins will deal the former National League Cy Young winner. He offered no explanation.

Last year most writers and experts thought that Alcantara would be moved. He was starting to come around after Tommy John surgery and with two years of team control for the team that acquired him, he would not only be attractive to contenders but provide a bushel of prospects for the Marlins.

But Miami passed. While the Marlins failed to make the playoffs, they did finish four games out of the NL Wild Card race and Alcantara surged in the final month and looked like the steady ace he was before the injury.

Is it any different this time around? The Marlins are basically out of the NL East race. The Atlanta Braves are too far ahead of them. But a National League Wild Card berth is attainable. Miami is .500 after beating the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday and is only two games back of the final Wild Card berth.

Miami needs Alcantara right now. The rotation is a mess thanks to injuries. The rotation is essentially Alcantara, Max Meyer — who has yet to lose a game this season — and whatever the Marlins can dig up from start to start. They’ve run bullpen and bulk relievers as they wait for starters like Janson Junk and Eury Perez to return from injury.

Without Alcanara in the rotation, the Marlins have no shot at the playoffs. With him, they might still not make it, but it buys them time to wait out the injuries. And, if Miami is in the right position, it could buy instead of sell by the trade deadline on Aug. 3.

In that case, it won’t matter how convinced executives are that Miami will move Alcantara. Winning overrides the desire to trade away one’s best player.