During the trade deadline, the Yankees held talks with the Marlins up to the final day about starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara, with the hold up in a deal being an inclusion of Spencer Jones.
Multiple high-rated prospects in the system would have been dealt alongside Jones, and the Yankees have increased their faith in him becoming a big leaguer over the past year.
This increase in stock rose to the point where the Yankees felt uncomfortable including him in deals where other valued prospects were included, and it’s why Alcantara remains a Marlin.
With free agency just weeks away, the news that Carlos Rodon will miss the start of the 2025 season after a bone spur procedure could open up the conversation about needing a starting pitcher.
If so, will the Yankees consider a second pursuit of Sandy Alcantara to bolster their rotation at the top?
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Why It Could Make Sense for the Yankees to Pursue Sandy Alcantara Again
Sources told Empire Sports Media during the trade deadline that the Yankees and Marlins held extensive talks regarding Sandy Alcantara, the 2022 NL Cy Young Award Winner.
Despite being in the middle of a horrendous season, Brian Cashman and the front office believed they could make tweaks to restore his ace status, and down the stretch Alcantara looked sharper.
Following the trade deadline, he made 10 starts with a 3.70 ERA and 3.88 FIP, seeing an increase in strikeout rate and a decrease in walk rate at the same time.
The right-hander will be coveted again by teams looking to upgrade their rotation since his contract is only guaranteed for one more season with a club option for 2027 at a relatively low cost ($21 million).
If the Yankees re-engage in trade talks with Miami, they’ll have to fend off some excellent organizations in a bidding war, as sources also told Empire Sports Media that the Mets held real interest in the right-hander.
David Stearns hoped to make a deal without trading from their most prized pool of prospects, but ultimately didn’t match up with Peter Bendix on value.
The Mets have a better farm system than the Yankees and can make a case for the best farm system in baseball, and if they choose to pursue Sandy Alcantara again, they’ll have plenty of chips to offer.
Peter Bendix traded Jesus Luzardo to the Phillies this past offseason, so there’s no reason to believe an in-division trade would spook the Marlins in the slightest.
Other teams outside of New York are almost guaranteed to show some interest, but its a matter of whether the Marlins will be as eager to trade him following a massive increase in wins from 2024.