With Gerrit Cole sidelined for the entirety of the 2025 campaign following Tommy John surgery, the New York Yankees continue exploring starting rotation reinforcements. One pitcher consistently emerging in trade discussions is Miami Marlins standout Sandy Alcantara. However, despite New York’s interest, it appears the Marlins remain hesitant to trade their ace at least in the immediate future. Adding to it, the ace doesn’t look interested in any kind of trade.
The 29-year-old Dominican right-hander remains under contractual control with Miami for two additional seasons, plus a club option for 2027. His compensation includes $34.6 million over the next two years, with an additional $21 million should the Marlins exercise their 2027 option.
Despite New York’s apparent eagerness to acquire Alcantara, his contract terms and recent medical history create complications in trade negotiations.
Marlins not ready to let Alcantara go easily
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Having missed the entire 2024 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, Alcantara’s market value currently sits at a low point. This reality has prompted the Marlins to adopt a strategic waiting game, despite their willingness to trade Jesus Luzardo to Philadelphia earlier this offseason.
According to Buster Olney of Baseball Tonight, Miami intends to hold out for maximum return, potentially retaining Alcantara until the midseason trade deadline.
“The Marlins are going to want the best price, and the Yankees would have to compete against a lot of teams for Sandy at a time when their farm system is in decline,” Olney explained. “Kylie McDaniel has them ranked among the bottom 10. They’re not in a good position to compete with other organizations, as they were at the trade deadline last year.”
Prohibitting trade cost another factor
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A recent analysis from The Athletic suggested that securing Alcantara would require the Yankees to present a substantial package featuring top prospects Jasson Domínguez and George Lombard Jr. Given Alcantara’s injury history and the Yankees’ developmental strategy, surrendering Domínguez might represent too steep a cost for Brian Cashman’s front office.
With constrained financial flexibility, the Yankees appear unlikely to pursue external additions immediately. According to FanGraphs calculations, the team’s luxury tax payroll for 2025 currently stands at $305.1 million, exceeding the $301 million tax threshold. Consequently, any additional spending incurs a 110% luxury tax penalty.
“We’ve obviously got big commitments already,” Cashman told MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. “The inventory that is going to be available is going to be limited, and then there’s costs associated with those acquisitions. Some of it is in terms of prospect value. Some of it is in terms of money.”
Cashman further emphasized that “very little” starting pitching talent is available during this period of the baseball calendar.
Yankees’ search may extend to midseason
While Alcántara remains an attractive acquisition target, the Marlins clearly won’t move their ace at a discount, particularly while he continues rehabilitation. With the Yankees demonstrating reluctance to trade premium prospects or assume additional significant salary obligations, a transaction may not materialize until the midseason trade deadline—if it happens at all.
For the immediate future, New York must consider alternative pitching solutions or rely on organizational depth to stabilize their rotation. If Cashman maintains his protective stance regarding elite prospects, the Yankees might need to wait until July before pursuing a frontline starter acquisition.
Esteban Quinones is a proud graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Growing up just blocks away from Yankee Stadium in Upper Manhattan, Esteban developed a deep love for the New York Yankees, a passion that has been a constant throughout his life. Whether it's cheering for the Yankees or crafting strategic communications, Esteban brings dedication and enthusiasm to producing content around all things Yankees.
I’m pretty sure the deal for Alcantara existed only in the minds of baseball writers and analysts, and was never a real consideration for the Yankees. The Yankees have been very vocal that they’re not spending the money that puts them into the final tier of the luxury tax, and with Dominguez about to finally breakout as an everyday player, it’s insanely remote that they offer him up for a trade, especially for a pitcher who missed all of last season due to injury. They’re interesting stories to read, but they’re pure fiction, not reality based.
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I’m pretty sure the deal for Alcantara existed only in the minds of baseball writers and analysts, and was never a real consideration for the Yankees. The Yankees have been very vocal that they’re not spending the money that puts them into the final tier of the luxury tax, and with Dominguez about to finally breakout as an everyday player, it’s insanely remote that they offer him up for a trade, especially for a pitcher who missed all of last season due to injury. They’re interesting stories to read, but they’re pure fiction, not reality based.