This Cubs trade candidate’s recent outing may cool the hype fast

This Cubs trade target’s ugly start is raising major red flags

Jordan Campbell

Miami Marlins v Arizona Diamondbacks / Norm Hall/GettyImages

One of the more polarizing trade targets in the Chicago Cubs rumor mill has been Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara. A former Cy Young Award winner, when Alcantara is right, he is one of the best pitchers in all of Major League Baseball. The issue is that in his return from Tommy John surgery, Alcantara has struggled to find consistency.

There was hope that over his last four starts, Alcantara was beginning to regain the form he had when he won the Cy Young Award in 2023. The issue is that two of those starts were against the Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates. Alcantara was on the mound on Saturday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the results were not great.

Just when Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara's trade value was starting to surge, along comes a real clunker Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
6 innings
10 hits
7 earned runs.
0 walks.
4 strikeouts.
91 pitches, 67 strikes
Season: 80 innings, 84 hits, 62 earned runs, 34 walks,…
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 28, 2025

Cubs’ rumored trade plan suddenly looks shaky after this start

Now, the Cubs may believe their pitching infrastructure can get Alcantara back on track. And, it's also possible that Jed Hoyer's front office isn't made at the idea of Alcantara's trade value going down after he struggled against the Diamondbacks on Saturday. That said, fans must not lose sight of the primary goal behind the Cubs' search for a starting pitcher. The goal is to take the Cubs from being a clear division winner to a World Series contender. If Alcantara's fix isn't immediate, that wouldn't answer the biggest need the Cubs have for this season.

Alcantara's start against the Diamondbacks on Saturday won't take him off the Cubs' radar; however, it may lead to them second-thinking just how much they are willing to offer the Marlins. Or, it could push them closer in the direction of Edward Cabrera, who has looked like the Marlins' ace for most of this season.

Trading prospects won't be the issue for the Cubs this season. After all, trading Cam Smith for only one season of Kyle Tucker speaks to the urgency Hoyer will have in addressing the needs of the 2025 roster. The issue for the Cubs will be identifying the right pitcher. Alcantara has the Cy Young pedigree, but for this season, he may not be the right answer for their need in the starting rotation.

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Jordan Campbell

For nearly 15 years, Jordan has been a workhorse across the FanSided network - including being the inaugural site expert for Cubbies Crib, as well as a stop at Da Windy City as the site expert. In addition to returning to be a Co-Site Expert at Cubbies Crib, Jordan was previously the Site Expert at Bear Goggles On. In the years since, Jordan has joined FanSided's full-time team, serving as a staff writer for the MLB division. Jordan's work can be seen across the MLB division, including a consistent presence on our Cubs, Twins, Astros, and Tigers sites. Since 2010, Jordan has dedicated his craft to providing insightful commentary on all things Chicago sports, and he has enjoyed his venture into all things Major League Baseball.