Toronto Blue Jays Should Consider Cost of Trade for Miami Marlins Ace.
Toronto Blue Jays Should Consider Cost of Trade for Miami Marlins Ace.
The Toronto Blue Jays could stand to upgrade starting pitching at the trade deadline and acquiring this Miami Marlins star would be a big swing move.
Matt Postins | 5 Hours Ago
Jun 16, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) pitches in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at loanDepot Park.
Jun 16, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) pitches in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at loanDepot Park. / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images.
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Toronto Blue Jays
Miami Marlins John Schneider on 5-4 loss to Guardians
The Toronto Blue Jays’ needs at the MLB trade deadline are starting to come into focus and starting pitcher is an area of secondary concern.
The return of Max Scherzer to the rotation this week means the Blue Jays are as close to the rotation they were hoping for this offseason. Scherzer was supposed to be a fourth or fifth starter behind Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios and Chris Bassitt. With Bowden Francis on the injured list, Eric Lauer has filled in capably.
The benefit of Scherzer’s return is that the Blue Jays no longer must rely on deploying regular bullpen games. But, given the 40-year-old’s injury history since 2023, it’s worth considering that Toronto may need to get a starting pitcher at the deadline.
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In a recent piece at The Athletic (subscription required), writer Ken Rosenthal wrote about several starting pitchers that could hit the market in July. He didn’t connect the Blue Jays to any of those players, but it may be worth Toronto considering the option to pursue the pitcher that could be the most popular on the trade market in Miami’s Sandy Alcantara.
The two-time All-Star was the 2022 National League Cy Young winner before he saw his career derailed by an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery in late 2023.
After missing 2024 season to rehab, he returned to the Marlins’ rotation in 2025 and, at first, he didn’t look like himself. After 15 starts his record was 4-8 with a 6.69 ERAarts, with a minus-1.0 bWAR and 59 strikeouts against 34 walks in 74 innings.
But the devil is in the recency bias, and that’s where his value on this trade market starts to emerge.
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Alcantara was 2-7 through May with an 8.47 ERA. But now that the calendar has flipped to June, something has happened. He is 2-2 with a 2.74 ERA in four starts. He has struck out 19 and walked five in 23 innings. He’s starting to resemble the Cy Young winner he was just three years ago.
The Marlins could be seeking a deal as the franchise isn’t close to contention and may not be for some time. Alcantara’s arm is a valuable commodity, especially if June is a sign of things to come this season. But he’ll be costly, and here is where the Blue Jays must consider both the trade and the future.
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A deal for him will probably cost Toronto two or three significant prospects or players because Alcantara is under contract through 2026 with a team option in 2027. That drives up the cost. Toronto would also have to be conscious of what Alcantara is owed — the rest of his $17 million contract this year, $17 million in 2026 and $21 million for the club option in 2027.
Toronto has played its way back into the American League playoff hunt. A pitcher like Alcantara could put them over the top in their rotation. That along makes considering a deal worth it. The rest of the considerations would be the cost of doing business.
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