One obvious Chicago Cubs trade target may not even be available yet

The Chicago Cubs will likely depend on internal options as they look to replace Justin Steele's production for the 2025 season, but the expectation remains that the team will look to the trade market before the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline on July 31 to add a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher.

There are offseason trade targets that can likely already be ruled out as it seems unlikely that the San Diego Padres will be moving Dylan Cease or Michael King.

At the top of the list of potential trade targets for the Cubs is former National League Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara. Alcantara won the Cy Young with the Miami Marlins in 2022 and after missing the 2024 season, he has returned to the top of the Marlins' rotation. Adding to the appeal of Alcantara is the fact that he is under team control through the 2027 season.

Given the Marlins' past trade history and the willingness to make impact trades during the early weeks of the season, Alcantara has been at the top of the mind for most Cubs fans. The one issue with that is that Alcantra isn't exactly a one-skill position player like Luis Arráez. For reference, the Marlins traded Arráez to the Padres in May of the 2024 season.

A Sandy Alcantara trade for the Cubs may have to wait until the Trade Deadline

Alcantara likely won't have a similar fate this season.

The messaging from the Marlins' front office is the team may wait until closer to July to move Alcantara. Cubs fans may not want to hear this, but the Marlins waiting until closer to the deadline to move Alcantara would be the right move. Alcantara has two more years of control after the 2025 season, so it wouldn't be a case of the Marlins trading a rental at the deadline. Beyond that, more teams would likely be involved in the bidding as opposed to a desperate Cubs' front office bidding against themselves.

The truth is impact trades are rarely available in April or May. It's not an ideal situation for the Cubs but after touting the pitching depth they've assembled, they should be able to tread water until a move is made later in the season.