For a team that has access to a seemingly unlimited supply of money and virtually every player in baseball, the New York Yankees have not met expectations as of late.
Well, not exactly as of late. In New York, the standard is winning World Series rings, but they haven’t done that since 2009.
The 2025 MLB season was just another year in a string of underwhelming seasons for the Yankees. After securing a spot in the AL Wild Card and advancing past the Boston Red Sox, the Yankees were mowed down by the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS.
While the Blue Jays are now set to square off with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, the Yankees are tasked with figuring out how they can be in that spot at this time next year.
Part of that offseason to-do list will be answering a few questions about the rotation.
This is a discussion of a trade prediction, not a report.
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Marlins Trade Sandy Alcantara to the Yankees: Prediction Reaction
When Opening Day rolls around next spring, the Yankees are expected to be without both Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon. Max Fried and Cam Schlitter will lead the way in their absence, while Luis Gil and Will Warren should play a role as well.
While the Yankees aren’t in dire straits with this group, an injection of talent to help both in the short-term and down the stretch of the season would be beneficial.
Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report has pegged former Cy Young winner and Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara as that potential addition.
Rymer proposed a package that would send outfield Jasson Dominguez and right-hander Carlos Lagrange to Miami in exchange for Alcantara.
“The Yankees could choose the overkill way forward with their rotation. A trade for Alcantara would fit the bill, as he’s a former Cy Young Award winner who finished 2025 on an upswing with a 2.68 ERA in his last eight starts. Would the Yankees be conceding defeat by trading Domínguez? Maybe, but they should be willing to question the disparity between his past hype and his present reality,” wrote Rymer.
Should The Yankees Trade For Sandy Alcantara?
Looking at Alcantara’s overall numbers from 2025, highlighted by a 4.14 ERA, some may believe that he wouldn’t be a worthwhile addition for the Yankees.
However, this would actually be a sharp move for Brian Cashman and the front office.
In the last two years, we’ve seen Alcantara look like one of baseball’s elite arms. In 2024, that stretched across the full season, with him posting a 2.28 ERA and winning a Cy Young. His Cy Young defense this past season got off to a rocky start, but as Rymer noted, he regained his form down the stretch.
In the eight starts that Reimer referenced, Alcantara surrendered two earned runs or fewer six times, while going at least 6.0 innings in all eight starts.
That’s the kind of player who can be a staple in the rotation of a championship-caliber team. Even if Alcantara isn’t carrying a sub-3.00 ERA, his addition would make the Yankees’ rotation monstrous when fully healthy.
Ultimately, Alcantara is a player that the Yankees should absolutely target this offseason.
Sandy Alcantara Stats
As previously mentioned, Alcantara didn’t have a banner year in regard to his stats, but he had some moments where he looked dominant on the mound.
2025 Stats:
28 starts
7-12 record
184.2 IP
4.14 ERA
1.213 WHIP
151 Ks