Sandy Alcantara Reflects on Trade Deadline Tensions

Sandy Alcantara faced one of the most challenging days of his career on Thursday, as the trade deadline loomed over him like a dark cloud.

Throughout the season, speculation surrounded the Miami Marlins' potential decision to part ways with Alcantara, a key player in their ongoing rebuilding efforts. The team has been actively trading established players for prospects, raising questions about the future of their 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner.

As the clock ticked toward the 6 p.m. deadline, Alcantara's anxiety was palpable. He spent the day glued to his television, watching baseball coverage with family while anxiously checking his phone for updates on a possible trade.

"It was hard, man," Alcantara expressed on Friday. "Every time I get on my phone, I see my name. I thought that I was leaving."

Ultimately, Miami decided against trading Alcantara. Instead, they made a single move, sending outfielder Jesús Sánchez to the Houston Astros in exchange for right-hander Ryan Gusto and two prospects: infielder Chase Jaworsky and outfielder Esmil Valencia.

The Marlins, who have recently found success with five consecutive series wins and a 15-10 record in July, opted to keep their core intact. Peter Bendix, president of baseball operations, noted that the team's recent performance influenced their strategy at the deadline.

Manager Clayton McCullough added that if trade offers did not significantly enhance the team's prospects for both the near and long term, they were content to continue competing with their current roster.

Despite expectations of a season focused on evaluating younger talent, the Marlins currently sit third in the National League East with a 52-55 record, trailing San Diego by seven games for the National League's third wild-card spot.

Bendix refrained from disclosing how close Miami came to trading Alcantara but emphasized that the organization felt confident in their final decision.

"All of the things that go into building a sustainably successful team were taken into consideration," he stated. "It's our job to be disciplined. Disciplined means listening, having conversations, and figuring out the best decision for every point we face."

Alcantara has spent most of his eight-year career with Miami, holding a record of 47-64 and a 3.64 ERA across 159 starts. He made history as the first player from Miami to win the Cy Young Award after an impressive 2022 season where he pitched a league-high 228 innings and completed six games.

After missing the entire 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery, Alcantara is still working to regain his form in 2025. Currently, he holds a 6-9 record with a 6.36 ERA and has only pitched seven innings once this season, despite being recognized as one of MLB's most durable starters.

He acknowledged that maintaining mental toughness has been crucial during this uncertain season. "It was a little hard because everywhere you go, every time you grab your phone, you see your name in the media," Alcantara said. "But you can't think too much about it. Just stay focused on everything you can do."

His last two starts have shown promise, suggesting he may be on the verge of returning to his All-Star caliber performance. Alcantara allowed just one run and four hits over seven innings against the San Diego Padres on July 23 and followed that with five shutout innings in a victory against St. Louis on Tuesday.

"Sandy is continuing to trend," McCullough remarked. "And we're going to continue to be the beneficiaries of having Sandy for the rest of the season, getting back to the pitcher that we all know he is."