Sandy Alcantara could become major trade deadline weapon by July, hints MLB sportscaster

Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara is back for the 2025 season after missing the 2024 season. The hard-throwing righty underwent Tommy John surgery following the 2023 season.

Since returning this year, he has not looked like himself. Alcantara has started six games, compiling a 2-3 record with an 8.31 ERA and 19 strikeouts across 26 innings.

Alcantara has struggled to hit his spots and get batters to chase. MLB analyst Brian Kenny breaks down the numbers in his first few starts.

"Here is the edge percentage, right? How many pitches are on the edge of the plate, in the black. It's gone from 43 to 46, 45, and now down to 41. That's a big drop. During the Cy Young season, he is 46 percent," said Kenny.

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Kenny points to the Marlins pitcher's edge percentage. This calculates the number of pitches that touch the outside black portion of the home plate. He is currently at a career-low, throwing only 41.6% of pitches on the black.

"You have to give him a little bit of time. His velo is more or less there, he's started throwing his sinker/changeup during the game as it wore on, and he could be a very different pitcher, we think, by July" he added.

However, it is not all bad with Sandy Alcantara. Kenny believes that with some time, he can return to the form that put fear into opposing batters. If he can get back into the swing of things, he could become a major trade candidate ahead of the deadline.

Which teams may be interested if the Marlins decide to move on from Sandy Alcantara?

Miami Marlins - Sandy Alcantara (Photo via IMAGN)

Luckily for Sandy Alcantara, he still has a bunch of ties to find his rhythm again. Many expected him to be a bit shaky after missing the entirety of the 2024 season. He still has some rust to knock off.

There are already teams looking for pitching help, which could increase Alcantara's stock. One of these teams includes the New York Yankees, who saw Gerrit Cole undergo Tommy John surgery in March.

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Another team that has seen a few pitchers go down with injury is the Los Angeles Dodgers. They just placed Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow on the IL after experiencing shoulder problems.

Both teams could surely see what Miami is looking for to acquire a former Cy Young Award winner. He will be somebody fans will want to keep an eye on in the next few months when the deadline creeps up.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom