The New York Yankees have gotten through the first month of the season by the skin of their teeth, dealing with injuries to the starting rotation.
They are already without ace Gerrit Cole for the entire campaign while breakout star Luis Gil suffered a setback in his recovery from a strained right lat he suffered during spring training. Outside of lefty Max Fried, New York has gotten inconsistent results from the rest of the pitching staff.
Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly recently listed Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara as one of the players most likely to be dealt at the Major League Baseball trade deadline. Though he didn't mention any teams as specific suitors, the Yankees are an obvious fit for the two-time All-Star.
"A two-time All-Star, Alcantara is still only 29. He's making $17.3 million this season, and will earn a matching amount in 2026. His contract also includes a very team-friendly $21 million club option for 2027, so assuming he proves he's healthy this summer, he should be the most-coveted trade candidate available," Kelly wrote.
Pulling off a trade for Alcantara won't be an easy one, but it would give the Yankees a much-needed edge in the race for the American League pennant. Entering Monday with the best record in the American League, the Yankees have a chance to become repeat pennant winners for the first time since they did so during the 2000-2001 seasons.
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The 29-year-old hasn't quite regained his form after earning the Cy Young award in 2022, posting a career-best season in which he logged a 14-9 record with a 2.28 ERA, 207 strikeouts and a 0.98 WHIP in 228.2 innings across 32 starts.
He struggled the following season in 2023 to the tune of a 7-12 record and 4.14 ERA, and it was revealed he suffered a torn UCL in September, which forced him to miss the entire 2024 campaign. The hard-throwing righty has gotten off to a slow start in 2025 with a 7.27 ERA in four starts.
Despite that slow start, the Yankees could be in the mix to land Alcantara near the trade deadline if they continue to find themselves near the top of the American League.
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