Odds of Marlins Ace Sandy Alcantara Being Traded Before Opening Day
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The Miami Marlins were fortunate to bring their ace back to LoanDepot Park last year after he had been sidelined for the 2024 season.
Since returning for his latest campaign, he recorded a 5.36 ERA and 142 strikeouts across 174.2 innings pitched through 31 starts. His most productive season was back in 2022 when he logged a 2.28 ERA and 207 strikeouts through a career-high of 228.2 innings pitched in 32 starts. That year, he also posted a career-high 8.0 bWAR.
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However, this was before his injury, which resulted in the dreaded Tommy John surgery. His latest campaign was far from smooth, but there's still potential for him to get back to where he once was.
But as the offseason story goes, rumors are swirling, and speculations continue to rise to the surface. The 30-year-old right-hander has found himself caught up in trade rumors, and they might not be all that unrealistic.
What Are the Odds of Alcantara Being Traded?
Considering his poor performance throughout 2025, it would be fair to associate him with risk. While there's the potential for him to bounce back, there's always a possibility that he's heading toward a downward spiral.
Alcantara is a competitor to the core, and that's been made clear in previous years. This mindset is valuable to any ballclub, but would they be willing to risk signing him? Bottom line, this could be another flopped season.
Nonetheless, he has been linked to various franchises this offseason, one of which included the New York Yankees. However, at this point, the odds of Alcantara being traded before Opening Day appear to be growing slimmer.
Having said that, the possibility is still there for a trade later on, especially if he can prove that he is healthy and equipped with the same competitive edge that we've seen from him before.
But it must be noted that anything is possible during the MLB offseason. Although shipping out Alcantara would be going against the odds, it's also best to leave the door cracked just a bit.
This could end up being a comeback season for Alcantara, and Miami could find that trading him would cause more harm than good. Whether or not he is waved off largely depends on how he handles spring training and the start to the regular season.
It's now a waiting game to see how Alcantara performs on the mound as opposed to his disappointing season last year.
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Maria Aldrich lives in the captivating Adirondack Mountains in New York where she can be found scaling cliffs, hiking in the High Peaks and paddling down local rivers. After graduating from SUNY Potsdam with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Wilderness Education, Maria began documenting her backcountry experiences through written stories. Over the years, she has found herself drawn to sports journalism and now focuses on MLB, WNBA, NCAA and NHL writing. She can be reached at mariaaldrich20@outlook.com.