NEW YORK — The New York Yankees have been working the phones this offseason. Their target? A former Cy Young Award winner stuck in South Florida.
Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden dropped a bombshell over the weekend. He revealed active trade discussions between the Yankees and Marlins for right-hander Sandy Alcantara.
The talks are serious. The price tag is steep. And one of the Yankees’ prized prospects could be packing his bags for warmer weather.
Bowden breaks the news
Speaking on MLB Network Radio on November 30, Bowden connected the dots between the Bronx and Miami.
“I think Sandy Alcantara of the Marlins has a legitimate shot at getting traded to the New York Yankees,” Bowden said. “I know they’ve had a lot of discussions.”
Bowden didn’t stop there. He painted a scenario that would reshape the Yankees roster in dramatic fashion.
“Think of this for a minute,” he continued. “They could sign Kyle Tucker in free agency and then trade Spencer Jones for Alcantara. Now you’ve added Kyle Tucker and Sandy Alcantara to the team that won 94 games last year, and that would be a game changer for them.”
Why the Yankees need Alcantara
The Yankees enter 2026 with a rotation in crisis. Gerrit Cole remains on the mend from Tommy John surgery. He won’t be ready for Opening Day. The earliest projections have him returning sometime in May.
Carlos Rodon underwent elbow surgery in October to remove loose bodies and shave down a bone spur. He faces a similar timeline. Manager Aaron Boone indicated Rodon will likely miss the start of the season.
Clarke Schmidt’s situation is even worse. The righty is recovering from Tommy John surgery and won’t pitch until the second half of 2026.
That leaves Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and Luis Gil to carry the load. Adding Alcantara would provide a major boost to a depleted staff.
The price of admission
Spencer Jones appears to be the centerpiece of any potential deal. The 24-year-old outfielder is the Yankees’ fourth-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline. He just wrapped up a monster 2025 season.
Jones split time between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton. He slashed .274/.362/.571 with 35 home runs, 80 RBI, and 29 stolen bases across 116 games. His performance earned him a spot on the All-MiLB Prospect First Team.
The Yankees added Jones to their 40-man roster last month. Trading him now would represent a significant investment in Alcantara’s upside.
This isn’t the first time the two teams have talked. Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported at the deadline that the Marlins wanted Jones for Alcantara. The Yankees held firm then.
The question now: Will Brian Cashman change his tune this winter?
Alcantara’s rocky comeback
Alcantara won the National League Cy Young Award in 2022. He led the majors with 228.2 innings and posted a dominant 2.28 ERA. He threw six complete games that season.
Things went sideways in 2023. His ERA ballooned to 4.14 before an elbow injury ended his season. Tommy John surgery followed in October. He missed all of 2024.
The 2025 season was supposed to mark his return to dominance. It didn’t start that way. Alcantara posted a 7.22 ERA through the All-Star break.
But something clicked after July. In his final 12 starts, Alcantara posted a 3.13 ERA over 77.2 innings. He recorded eight quality starts in 13 outings after the break.
His final line for 2025: 11-12 record, 5.36 ERA, 142 strikeouts in 174.2 innings. The surface numbers don’t tell the whole story.
The contract makes sense
Alcantara signed a five-year, $56 million extension with Miami in 2021. He’s owed $17.6 million in 2026. The team holds a $21 million club option for 2027.
For a pitcher with Cy Young pedigree, those numbers represent tremendous value. If Alcantara rediscovers his 2022 form, he becomes one of the biggest bargains in baseball. Pitchers typically perform better in their second full season after Tommy John surgery.
Will the Marlins deal?
Not everyone is convinced a trade will happen. Nick Deeds of MLB Trade Rumors reported that the Marlins expect Alcantara to remain in Miami on Opening Day.
The logic makes sense. Miami improved from 62 wins in 2024 to 79 in 2025. They finished just four games out of the playoffs.
“There’s certainly some logic in that, as the 2022 NL Cy Young award winner was one of the league’s best pitchers in the not-too-distant past,” Deeds wrote. “A season where Alcantara pitched to a 5.36 ERA across 31 starts surely lowered his value, but if the Marlins still believe in the 30-year-old, there’s no reason to sell low.”
Still, under general manager Peter Bendix, trading veterans for prospects has been Miami’s playbook. Alcantara may not fit their long-term window.
The outfield factor
Trading Spencer Jones makes more sense when you consider the Yankees’ outfield situation. Aaron Judge has right field locked down. Trent Grisham accepted a qualifying offer and returns for 2026.
The team is also pushing to bring back Cody Bellinger. If that happens, Jasson Dominguez gets pushed to the bench. There’s no room for Jones.
Bowden floated the possibility of signing Kyle Tucker. That would make the logjam even worse. Trading Jones for rotation help looks like smart roster management.
The Winter Meetings begin December 8 in Orlando. The Yankees and Marlins have laid the groundwork. Now we wait to see if they close the deal.
For a franchise that hasn’t won a championship in 16 years, the risk might be worth taking.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
