Marlins Division Rival Listed as Potential Trade Candidate for Sandy Alcantara
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When Miami Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix decided to trade two starting pitchers this offseason, it didn't come as a surprise. It didn't happen until January, which was the only surprising part.
Bendix first moved Edward Cabrera to the Chicago Cubs for a return of prospects that include Owen Caissie, who could become a staple in the Marlins lineup this season. Miami then sent left-hander Ryan Weathers to the New York Yankees for more prospects.
Those moves left Sandy Alcantara to lead the rotation, and just how things fall after that on Opening Day remains to be seen. What also remains to be seen is what Alcantara's future holds in South Florida. If there is another pitcher to be moved at some point, it could be Alcantara.
Mike Axisa of CBS Sports listed 10 too-early trade candidates for the deadline this summer. He listed three teams for Alcantara, with some potential destinations being the National League East Division rival.
Braves Linked to Marlins Ace Sandy Alcantara in Potential Trade Destination This Summer
The three teams that Axisa listed as potential landing spots for Alcantara were the Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, and San Francisco Giants. A trade to the Cubs would reunite him with Cabrera, but the Braves?
"The Marlins still have a ways to go to get back into contention, though they are trending in the right direction. They have a lot of young pitching coming and trading Alcantara would further improve the young talent base,'' Axisa wrote.
Alcantara's future with the Marlins depends on where Miami is at the trade deadline. If they are in the mix for a postseason berth, then it wouldn't be surprising to see him moved. However, if he were to be traded within the division, the return would need to be worth it for the Marlins. It's not every day that a Cy Young winner gets traded within the division.
Chicago and San Francisco are destinations that make sense for Alcantara, as both teams will likely be looking for pitching between now and the trade deadline. Miami does have some nice depth pitching-wise with some young arms, which allowed Bendix to move Cabrera and Weathers for prospects.
Miami missed the playoffs by four games last year and they will look to be in the mix despite trading Weathers and Cabrera. Axisa is correct in that the Marlins have a ways to go to get back into contention, but if they remain healthy this season, they could make a playoff push, which would leave Bendix in a tough spot at the deadline, whether or not to trade Alcantara. If he does move him, the Braves feel like a long shot at best.
