2:38pm: MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch reports that the Yankees have pitched the Marlins on a potential package deal involving Alcantara and Bender.
10:25am: All eyes are on Sandy Alcantara today, with less than seven hours to go until the MLB trade deadline. The former Cy Young winner sports an ugly post-Tommy John 6.36 ERA in 21 starts, but he has totaled 12 scoreless innings in his last two starts against the Padres and Cardinals.
Alcantara is controlled through 2027 by virtue of the contract extension he signed over three years ago. The Astros and Red Sox were linked to him yesterday, while the Mets, Padres, and Cubs are among those previously connected. This morning, Jon Heyman of the New York Post adds another potential suitor: the Yankees.
The Yankees have Luis Gil set to make his season debut Sunday against the Marlins following his spring lat strain, which may send Cam Schlittler back to Triple-A (if the latter isn’t included in a trade today). Gil will join veterans Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, and Marcus Stroman, as well as Will Warren. As Greg Joyce of the New York Post wrote yesterday, a rotation acquisition by the Yankees would force a choice between Warren and Stroman.
With a competitive balance tax payroll around $314MM after additions of Ryan McMahon, Amed Rosario, and Austin Slater, the Yankees face a 110% tax on every dollar they add this summer. Alcantara is earning $17MM this year and next, with a club option for 2027. Acquiring Alcantara would mean adding more than $6MM to the Yankees’ CBT ledger for this year, plus a tax of around $6.7MM.
Teams seeking starting pitching are also intrigued by hard-throwing Marlins righty Edward Cabrera. Cabrera, 27, is having a better season than Alcantara and is under team control through 2028 at much lower (expected) salaries than Alcantara. As such, it makes sense that the Yankees are interested in Cabrera, as Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports today with five hours left until the deadline. The Marlins are eyeing powerful Yankees outfield prospect Spencer Jones, notes Morosi. According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, “interest in both Alcantara and Cabrera is very high.”
Sammon also notes that a pair of Marlins righty relievers are drawing interest in Ronny Henriquez and Calvin Faucher. Henriquez’s 32.4 K% ranks 20th among relievers this year, and he’s been mentioned as an under-the-radar trade candidate by MLBTR several times this month. Given that Henriquez was a February waiver claim who had limited MLB experience with the Twins, he’s under team control through 2030.
As you might expect, Sammon reports that Faucher is more likely to be traded today. Faucher, 30 in September, has a 3.73 ERA, 23.2 K%, and 10.7 BB% this year with a 44.2% groundball rate. He’s less intriguing than Henriquez, but is under control through 2029. Righty Anthony Bender has also been in rumors this month.
Finally, Sammon points out that Marlins outfielders Jesus Sanchez and Dane Myers are also drawing interest. Sanchez, 28 in October, is under team control through 2027. He’s a left-handed hitter who has a slightly above average 104 wRC+ since 2023, though against righties he’s at 119 during that time. Myers, a December 2022 waiver claim from the Tigers, is under team control through ’29. He’s a righty hitter who can serve as a lefty masher, given his 141 wRC+ against southpaws in 172 plate appearances dating back to 2023.
Sanchez has been playing right field for the Marlins, often sitting against lefties. Myers has been taking most starts in center, occasionally sharing with Javier Sanoja.