Padres Singled Out as Best Landing Spot for All-Star Starting Pitcher in Trade

With the MLB trade deadline coming up on Aug. 3, the San Diego Padres' front office has a few major questions to answer.

The big one is how aggressive the team will be after they've dropped down the standings over the last month-plus. The Padres opened the year on a hot stretch, but the issues on offense and from the starting rotation have brought this team back to earth.

So, president of baseball operations A.J. Preller will have to determine if this roster is worth going all-in for. Pitching help should be a priority, with many around the league expecting the Padres to land at least one starter.

San Diego has been linked to multiple big names, but the one that keeps being mentioned is Sandy Alcantara of the Miami Marlins.

MLB insider Jon Heyman mentioned the Padres as a top spot for Alcantara on MLB Network.

“Just throwing it out there - I like the Padres for [Sandy] Alcantara... and for [Freddy] Peralta, I like the Cubs…”@JonHeyman mentions two starting pitchers that could receive some serious interest ahead of the Trade Deadline. pic.twitter.com/MPpuSUwokg
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 15, 2026

In addition, Heyman mentioned the Padres as the early fit for Alcantara in a recent article for The New York Post. The Padres and Alcantara continue to be linked together, and the fit does make a lot of sense.

Should the Padres Trade for Sandy Alcantara?

If the Padres could add Alcantara, it would completely bolster the starting rotation. Not only would San Diego be adding a former Cy Young winner, but the depth of this group would be much improved.

With the Padres likely to get both Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove back after the All-Star break, the rotation could be a strength of this roster. But in case one of these guys can't get back, Alcantara could be an insurance option for the Padres.

Alcantara would take over as the top arm on this staff, giving the Padres a true go-to guy for the postseason. Having Alcantara, Michael King, Pivetta, Musgrove, Randy Vásquez, Lucas Giolito and others would be a strong group heading into the stretch run of the year.

In 16 starts this season, the right-hander has posted an ERA of 4.18 across 103.1 innings. Alcantara is an innings-eater, while also being able to dominate on the mound whenever he pitches.

Sandy Alcantara's first complete game since 2023, and it's a SHUTOUT! pic.twitter.com/cw0f88IG8S
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 1, 2026

Trading for Alcantara could be beneficial for the Padres, not only for this season but also for 2027. The veteran has a club option for next season that comes in at $21 million, so he could be more than a half-season rental.

The big question is what it would take for the Padres to land Alcantara, with the Marlins holding a high asking price for the starter in recent years. But as long as San Diego didn't trade one of its top two prospects (Ethan Salas or Kruz Schoolcraft), giving up a few guys for Alcantara could be well worth it.

This potential trade could give the Padres more depth to use, while solving some of the problems within the rotation. Overall, adding Alcantara could make sense for San Diego, and it could put the team on a path to make a deep postseason run this season — assuming they add to the lineup, too.

Add us as a preferred source on Google