bleacherreport
The Miami Marlins have decided to hold onto their star pitcher, Sandy Alcantara, as the 2026 MLB trade deadline came and went without a deal. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, negotiations never got close to a trade, with the team keeping the 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner in their rotation.
Alcantara's journey since his Cy Young season has been rocky. After posting a stellar 2.28 ERA in 2022, his numbers dipped to a 4.14 ERA in 2023, and a torn UCL led to Tommy John surgery in October of that year. The injury cost him the entire 2024 season, and while he was healthy in 2025, it took time to regain his form. In his first 11 starts of that season, he recorded an 8.47 ERA with 56 hits, 40 strikeouts, and 29 walks over 51 innings. A promising stretch in June, where he posted a 2.74 ERA in 23 innings across four starts, was marred by a rough outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks, allowing seven earned runs in six innings.
However, the 2026 campaign has been a different story. Alcantara has been more consistent, owning a 3.68 ERA in an MLB-high 156.2 innings. His recent performances have been particularly impressive, with 13 shutout innings over his last two starts, boosting his trade value. Yet, the Marlins chose to keep the 29-year-old as a cornerstone of their core, with a $21 million team option for next season.
Key Analysis
Alcantara's durability has been a hallmark of his career. From 2019 to 2022, he ranked seventh among NL pitchers in FanGraphs' wins above replacement (13.4) and led the league in innings pitched (673.2). Despite the ups and downs, he appears to be on the path back to elite status. The Marlins, who entered Monday with a 58-55 record and just 1.5 games out of the NL wild card, remain a formidable contender with Alcantara anchoring their rotation.
Originally reported by bleacherreport.