The Miami Marlins currently find themselves 14.5 games behind the New York Mets—and shockingly, that’s not even the largest deficit in the National League. With a player like Sandy Alcántara on the roster, the team must start asking when it makes sense to move on from the 29-year-old right-hander. On a pitching staff that’s struggled across the board, Alcantara’s 2-7 record certainly isn’t helping.
Sandy Alcántara Is Still Getting Interest at the Deadline
While he’s allowed eight earned runs over his last two starts, Alcántara hasn’t recorded a decision since May 23. Between April 18 and May 23, he picked up the loss in all seven of his starts. After beginning the season 2-0, he’s now dropped seven straight decisions—and the Marlins are running out of answers if they want to compete in the division again.
But Alcántara isn’t the only problem. The Marlins are struggling on multiple fronts, and there’s no single trade that can fix the entire organization. The 2022 NL Cy Young winner has pitched the second-most innings on the team (57.0) and owns a team-worst 7.89 ERA. Of the three other starters who have thrown over 40 innings, none have an ERA under 4.00.
I know it’s the Rockies, but this was definitely an encouraging start from Sandy Alcantara. Average sinker velocity was even up nearly a tick, command was as good as it’s been with the fastball too. Overall strike rate of 66% is 5% up from season average. pic.twitter.com/cAzLculPMe
— Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) June 4, 2025
Recovering from Tommy John surgery is no joke. Despite the poor numbers, teams are still showing interest in Alcántara—a sign they believe he still has something left in the tank. One poor year shouldn’t define a pitcher’s future, especially after a major operation. While it’s unlikely he’ll replicate his 2022 campaign—when he posted a 2.28 ERA and a 14-9 record—his current struggles aren’t surprising after missing all of 2024.
MLB recently conducted an executive poll to project which big names might be moved at the trade deadline. Out of 19 respondents, 12 said Alcántara would be traded. At the time of the poll, he had a 2-4 record and an 8.42 ERA. It’ll be interesting to see if those same executives would still pick his name following his last few starts.
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The Marlins have control of Alcántara’s contract through 2027, which includes a $21 million club option that season. But in 2025, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them move that contract elsewhere—especially given the $17.3 million he’s set to earn in each of the next two years.
Despite the numbers, Alcántara still shows flashes of elite stuff. He ranks in the 92nd percentile in fastball velocity at 97.2 mph and has a healthy 49.7 percent ground ball rate. His max exit velocity allowed (117.9 mph) ranks in the bottom one percent of the league, but there are still signs of life from a pitcher who won a Cy Young Award just three seasons ago.