On July 9th, the Miami Marlins completed a sweep of the Seattle Mariners and improved to 52-42 on the season. After a 20-6 June, they’d started July 6-2 and seemed to be in prime position to make a push for the playoffs in the National League. Unfortunately, the wheels fell off. The Marlins lost 12 straight games from July 10th-26th, finally breaking the streak Monday night against the Phillies. The idea that they’d sell at the upcoming trade deadline seemed far-fetched just two weeks ago, but at 53-54 and with four teams between them and the final Wild Card slot, their road seems a bit more difficult. A talented team with several interesting trade chips could now explore trading assets, and the White Sox could have their eyes on one pitcher in particular.
30-year-old right-hander Sandy Alcantara hasn’t been the same since winning the NL Cy Young award in 2022. After posting a 2.28 ERA in 32 starts with a whopping six complete games, Alcantara’s ERA spiked to 4.14 the following season before an elbow injury ended his season early. Alcantara ended up needing Tommy John surgery and missed the entire 2024 season. He returned in 2025 but posted an elevated 5.36 ERA in 31 starts. Alcantara hasn’t been back to his Cy Young form in 2026, but he’s looked better. The right-hander holds a 4.01 ERA through 22 starts, including a complete game shutout against the White Sox earlier this season.
Sandy Alcantara completes a 93-pitch SHUTOUT! 👏 pic.twitter.com/p8tqrgVR6V
— MLB (@MLB) April 1, 2026
Contract-wise, Alcantara has a team option for 2027 worth $21 million and will be a free agent following the season. The relative short-term nature of his control leaves Miami with an interesting question: cash in on his value and potentially lose an asset for next season, or risk Alcantara walking for nothing following 2027. The Marlins have never been a big spending team and are unlikely to offer Alcantara the type of deal he’ll be looking for when he hits free agency, so they could consider cashing in now while he has an extra year of control. But if the Marlins believe they can compete in 2027, they may hold onto him.
Sandy Alcantara could be the perfect addition to the White Sox rotation
For the White Sox, the fit makes perfect sense. Aside from his past dominance, Alcantara has a history of going deep into games. 18 of his 22 starts this season have been at least six innings, and his 228.2 innings during his Cy Young season in 2022 were the most in a season for any pitcher since 2016. In the past 22 games, Sean Burke is the only White Sox starter to have gone at least six innings in a game. It’s completely unfair to ask a bullpen to get 15 outs per game, so the White Sox desperately need a pair of starting pitchers who can pitch deeper into games if they’d like to stay in control of the AL Central. With the White Sox reportedly willing to take on money in deadline deals, adding a $21 million salary for a top-of-the-rotation arm like Alcantara for 2027 isn’t a big deal.
It’s unclear what type of return would be required in a deal involving Alcantara. The Marlins might require a significant prospect haul to convince them to move on from a pitcher that can help them in 2027, but Alcantara also won’t be treated like the genuine ace he once was. It’s a possibility worth asking about for Chris Getz and the White Sox. With reports indicating the team is “casting a wide net” in its search for starting pitching, it would surprise me if Sandy Alcantara was not on the list of players they’ve checked in on. Two weeks ago, it seemed like a complete longshot. But circumstances have changed, and it now feels more possible than ever.
Add us as a preferred source on Google