This New York Yankees' potential trade target might already be getting more expensive.
During the offseason, the New York Yankees were clearly seeking pitching, and they did discuss trades for Freddy Peralta and MacKenzie Gore.
Ultimately, the Yankees settled for Ryan Weathers in a surprising deal with the Miami Marlins, and while Weathers has good stuff, he seemed more like a fallback plan than anything else. And that includes pitchers from the Marlins.
All last year, we heard Sandy Alcantara linked to New York, but thanks to a rough first half of 2025 in his first season back from Tommy John surgery, Miami elected to hold on to the former Cy Young award winner in order to build his value.
It proved to be a great decision by the Marlins, as Alcantara dazzled over his last 13 starts of last year and has already gotten off to a great start in 2026.
In his inaugural start of the campaign, Alcantara went seven innings and allowed just one run — zero earned — on four hits while recording five strikeouts. What's more, he needed just 73 pitches to do it.
Alcantara has been re-establishing himself as an ace since the second half of last year, and at this point, it seems pretty clear that he has shaken off the rust.
But will the Yankees make another pursuit of the 30-year-old this summer?
Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara. Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images.It stands to reason that Alcantara could end up being the best pitcher on the market if the Marlins make him available.
Miami was quietly one of the best teams in baseball from mid-June on last year, and the Fish have gotten off to a 2-0 start this season.
Alcantara is making $17.3 million this year and has a $21 million club option for 2027, so if the Marlins feel they are inching toward contention, they don't have to move him.
That makes a potential trade scary for teams like New York, who would likely have to surrender a substantial package to pry Alcantara away from South Beach.
Say what you want about the Marlins, but they tend to do well in trades. Heck, they snatched four prospects from the Yanks — including prized outfielder Dillon Lewis — in exchange for Weathers, who made all of 24 starts between 2024 and 2025.
Miami isn't just going to give Alcantara away, and considering how loaded the Yankees are with fresh, young arms, you can bet that the Fish would try to pilfer Brian Cashman's farm system.
Alcantara's price is only going up, and if New York does end up needing another arm by the August deadline, it will have to determine whether or not the package required to obtain the right-hander is actually worth it.
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