Miami Marlins: Responding to a Sandy Alcantara mock trade (and offering a counter)

Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara has drawn a unique level of interest, with around a dozen MLB clubs expected to pursue a blockbuster trade for the former Cy Young winner. More than any other deal Miami President Peter Bendix has made—or will make—this one will define the Marlins’ current rebuild.

Sports Illustrated recently floated a mock trade proposal that would send Alcantara to the Chicago Cubs. In exchange, Miami would receive a package including:

• RHP Cade Horton (MLB’s #48 prospect)
• OF Owen Caissie (50)
• OF Kevin Alcantara (86)
• INF Cole Mathis (not ranked in MLB’s Top 100)
  

While intriguing, the package feels light given the context. The current landscape includes an extreme shortage of elite starting pitchers and overwhelming demand across the league. In this seller’s market, Miami is in a prime position to demand more—especially from a club with Chicago’s prospect depth.

Most notably, Matt Shaw, the Cubs’ top prospect and MLB’s #18 overall, was left out of the mock trade. Can the Cubs really expect to land the most coveted arm on the market while holding on to their most valuable minor league asset? That seems like too sweet a deal for a franchise with deep pockets and postseason ambitions.

If Alcantara continues to shake off the rust and prove he’s fully recovered from elbow surgery, his price tag will only increase. With that in mind, here’s a more appropriate counteroffer:

Proposed Trade:

Chicago Receives:

• Sandy Alcantara (SP)
• Calvin Faucher (RP)
  

Miami Receives:

• Matt Shaw, INF (18)
• Owen Caissie, OF (50)
• Kevin Alcantara, OF (86)
• Cole Mathis, INF (NR)
  

This is the kind of franchise-altering return that Bendix and the Marlins should be targeting for their ace—especially considering Alcantara is locked into a team-friendly contract through 2027.

For Chicago, the move allows them to replace injured ace Justin Steele and make a serious postseason push in what could be Kyle Tucker’s final season before free agency. Crucially, the Cubs would retain considerable prospect depth, headlined by Cade Horton (#48), Moisés Ballesteros (#65), James Triantos (#65), and Jefferson Rojas (#96) all staying in the Windy City.

Why This Trade Works for Both Teams

Chicago could still build for the future while going all-in for 2025. Alcantara provides instant credibility and playoff firepower at the top of the rotation. He’s a proven ace, a workhorse, and the kind of presence that could shift the balance in a postseason series.

For the Marlins, Shaw would become the cornerstone of the rebuild—their version of James Wood in Washington or Paul Skenes in Pittsburgh. Surrounded by a group of promising young players, Shaw could anchor Miami’s lineup for the next decade. With that centerpiece in place, the rest of the club’s intriguing young talent can slide into supporting roles that better reflect their upside.