As we inch closer and closer to the 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline in August, more information is going to continue to come out about who could ultimately end up being on the move.
One thing that is true every year is the fact that pitching is king at the deadline. If you want to make a deep run in the playoffs, you need good pitching. That means a solid starting rotation and a high-end bullpen. In the playoffs, you have just a few games to play. Every inning matters and a single homer or something like that could be the difference between advancing and going home. So, you can never have enough good arms.
Pitchers are also typically on a shorter leash in the playoffs. You’ll see guys get pulled early because you can’t dig holes in the postseason. There will be intriguing hurlers to follow over the next few months as we get closer to the Aug. 3 trade deadline. One guy who specifically could shake up the 2026 MLB trade deadline is Sandy Alcántara of the Miami Marlins. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that teams are “convinced” that this will finally be the year that Alcántara is on the move.
“Teams are convinced that this is the year that the Marlins will trade ace Sandy Alcántara, who is under control for one more season with a $21 million club option,” Nightengale wrote.
Alcántara is no stranger to trade rumors. He was one of the hurlers talked about the most heading into the 2025 trade deadline, but the Marlins opted to hang onto him. The reason for this was that he missed the entire 2024 season and was rusty to kick off the 2025 season. Rather than trading him for pennies on the dollar, the Marlins rolled the dice and kept him. So far this season, he has a 4.25 ERA in 15 starts.
If he does get moved, he’s someone who could be very popular ahead of the trade deadline. Guys like Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta will be talked about a lot, but both will be free agents after the season and cost an arm and a leg. On the other hand, Alcántara has a $21 million club option for the 2027 season as well. His 4.25 ERA may not sound great, but this is a guy who is going to get you innings. He has already pitched 97 1/3 innings this season in 15 starts. Only Cristopher Sánchez of the Philadelphia Phillies has more innings under his belt this season with 99.
If Alcántara is actually moved, he could slot right into a contender’s rotation in the middle with top-of-the-rotation upside. He’s certainly someone to watch around baseball right now.
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