As the New York Yankees deal with early-season pitching issues, former Marlins pitcher and current FOX Sports analyst Dontrelle Willis joined in the chorus calling for them to make a bold move involving his former team.
“The bottom line is they may have to go out and get somebody from Miami. I’m not going to say their names because I’m not a general manager, but you might have to go get the Sandman [Sandy Alcantara] down there,” Willis said on Wednesday night’s Fox broadcast.
Injuries have plagued the Yankees’ rotation.
Sep 3, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) delivers a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park.
Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Ace Gerrit Cole is sidelined for the season following Tommy John surgery. Luis Gil is recovering from a lat strain, and Marcus Stroman is on the injured list with knee inflammation. Clarke Schmidt recently returned from a shoulder injury, making his season debut on April 16, but so far, Carlos Rodon, Will Warren and Carlos Carrasco have been inconsistent as best.
Despite these setbacks, the Yankees have managed an 11-7 record, leading the AL East. However, their starting rotation’s ERA stands at 4.96, ranking 28th in MLB.
Alcantara, the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner, has returned from Tommy John surgery and is under contract through 2026, with a club option for 2027. In his first three starts this season, he has a 2-0 record with a 4.70 ERA and 12 strikeouts over 15.1 innings.
While the Marlins have not officially placed Alcantara on the trading block, it’s pretty clear they are going to have to deal him if they want to move forward with their rebuild plans. They have a history of trading high-value players, which suggests they might consider offers.
Acquiring Alcantara would likely require the Yankees to part with top prospects, but it could provide the pitching depth needed for a postseason run.
Willis’s suggestion adds to the speculation that the Yankees will try to go big this July.
