The Chicago Cubs currently lead the National League Central and are tied for the second-best record in the Senior Circuit. At 50-35, they appear to be pointed towards the postseason.
However, there are areas of the roster that need to be addressed. With Justin Steele out for the season, Chicago needs to add a starting pitcher.
Sandy Alcantara will be the top starter available with the Miami Marlins likely to sell at the trade deadline.
David Schoenfield of ESPN proposed the idea of Chicago trading for him.
“The Cubs feel like the perfect match for multiple reasons. Their rotations ranks 22nd in ERA and 17th in innings, so they’re getting neither great production nor enough lengthy outings from their starters. The bullpen has held up to the stress so far with the second-best ERA in the majors, but acquiring Alcantara would add depth behind Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga, the team’s only reliable starters,” Schoenfield writes.
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Alcantara is having a difficult season after returning from Tommy John surgery. He’s 4-8 with a 6.89 ERA and -1.3 WAR in 16 starts.
However, he is still a two-time All-Star and won a Cy Young award back in 2022, so there is still value in acquiring him. Chicago needs another frontline arm to bolster its rotation for the stretch run if they want to be a threat in the postseason.
The right-hander has two more years of club control plus an option for 2027, so that alone could make him a very attractive trade piece. With Alcantara and Imanaga in the same rotation, the Cubs could be a threat to make a deep postseason run.
They will almost certainly be buyers this summer, and Alcantara might just be the perfect fit.
We’ll see if the Cubs try to make a play for him.
More MLB: Cubs have discussed trade for star $45M pitcher to soldify rotation
