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The Chicago Cubs still have a void in their starting rotation with the trade deadline approaching.
By Thursday evening, the Cubs need to land at least one more arm to try and keep up with the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central. If the playoffs started now, it’s hard to say who should start Game 3 behind Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd in this current rotation.
Sandy Alcantara of the Miami Marlins has always made sense for the Cubs, because he’s got a Cy Young Award in his pocket, and would be under relatively affordable control for the next two seasons as well.
MIAMI, FLORIDA – JULY 23: Sandy Alcantara #22 of the Miami Marlins walks to the dugout during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at loanDepot park on July 23, 2025 in Miami, Florida.
MIAMI, FLORIDA – JULY 23: Sandy Alcantara #22 of the Miami Marlins walks to the dugout during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at loanDepot park on July 23, 2025 in Miami, Florida.
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
As bad as Alcantara has been for most of the season, he’s allowed no earned runs in back-to-back starts, dropping his ERA to 6.36. Is that good enough for the Cubs to take a swing at landing him?
On Thursday, Ehsan Kassim of USA Today predicted that Alcantara would end the day wearing a Cubs uniform.
“Miami and Chicago pull off a blockbuster with the Marlins sending Sandy Alcantara to the Cubs for outfield prospect Kevin Alcantara,” wrote Kassim.
Alcantara, 29, struggled for much of this season to find his command after returning from Tommy John surgery. He’s still throwing hard (upper-90s fastballs), but if he’s not properly locating them or tunneling his secondary pitches well off of the fastball trajectory, he’s been getting rocked.
Alcantara is set to make $17 million next season and $21 million in 2027 (club option). Even if he’s not his Cy Young self, the money on that deal isn’t bad at all for a big-market team.
But it’s unclear if the Marlins think Alcantara’s trade value is high enough to move him. It remains to be seen whether they’d accept a package involving just one top prospect, especially one like Kevin Alcantara, who is only Chicago’s fourth-best prospect.
More MLB: Tigers-Pirates Blockbuster? MLB Writer Mocks Pair of All-Stars to Detroit