Once upon a rebuild, the Miami Marlins handed out $56 million to stability—and got a 7.22 ERA instead. Now, as the deadline nears and patience thins, their once-untouchable Cy Young winner is looking more like a luxury sedan with engine trouble. Sandy Alcantara may still carry name value, but inside front offices, a newer model with fewer miles is turning far more heads—and it’s not even close.

The Marlins have become one of the main centers of the trade market. They have got names like Alcantara, Jesús Sánchez, and Anthony Bender, whom they are looking to trade for other names. To that list, they have added another name: Edward Cabrera. While Alcantara was supposed to be the main man, things have changed after the season he has had.

In a recent ESPN article, they talked about the trade deadline buzz around teams. Marlins were on the list, with Cabrera being the main name now. They wrote, “Edward Cabrera has become more coveted than Sandy Alcantara, who teams believe might take an offseason to fix… The 27-year-old right-hander will come at a heavy cost for opposing teams.”

Once the Marlins’ crown jewel, Alcantara has quietly slipped into the trade background. His 2025 season has been brutal, sporting a 7.22 ERA and a career-worst 17.3% strikeout rate. Coming off Tommy John surgery, he looks more like a project than a playoff push. At $17 million annually, he’s a pricey gamble for a pitcher struggling to find himself.

Meanwhile, Cabrera has snatched the “ace” label and sprinted ahead in trade chatter. He owns a 2.54 ERA across his last 12 starts with 25%+ strikeout efficiency. With a high-90s fastball and much-improved control (walk rate down to 9%), he’s blossomed in 2025. Though elbow fatigue briefly halted momentum, his clean MRI keeps suitors circling.

But Cabrera won’t come cheap—he’s young, electric, and under control through 2028 at bargain prices. For teams like the Cubs or Tigers, the asking price starts with top-tier prospects like Owen Caissie. A package may also require Moises Ballesteros and major-league-ready arms like Ben Brown. When a pitcher has breakout stuff and years of control, front offices pay a premium.

As the Marlins dangle arms at the deadline, it’s clear who’s the headline and who’s the footnote. What was once Alcantara’s stage has turned into Cabrera’s audition for front-rotation glory elsewhere. In this market, stuff sells and scars stall. He brings sizzle, control, and upside, Alcantara brings a receipt. If contenders want flash and function, they know which Miami model deserves the overbid.

Yankees also looking at Marlins for an underrated pitcher

The Yankees aren’t just window shopping—they’re combing the clearance rack for hidden gold. While rival GMs chase big names like Alcantara and Cabrera with luxury-tax dreams, Brian Cashman is peeking behind door number three. The Marlins, baseball’s favorite liquidation sale, might just be hiding a gem beneath the headlines. And no, it’s not who your favorite X insider keeps tweeting about.

New York are circling Miami like sharks sensing blood in July. It’s Ronny Henriquez quietly turning front-office heads. The 25-year-old righty has posted a stellar 2.60 ERA across 45 dominant innings. With 63 strikeouts and just 35 hits allowed, he’s proving to be more than a waiver-wire miracle.

For the Yankees, bullpen injuries have turned a strength into a worrisome liability overnight. Fernando Cruz is battling an oblique strain, while Mark Leiter Jr. has a leg fracture. Luke Weaver, once steady, has looked shaky since returning from injury limbo. With their World Series hopes hinging on pitching, New York needs firepower—and quickly.

Henriquez brings exactly that, averaging 12.6 strikeouts per nine and boasting team control through 2030. That long runway makes his price tag steep, especially for a team stingy with prospects like the Yankees. Still, desperation has a way of loosening wallets, especially in the Bronx’s win-now pressure cooker. If Henriquez moves, don’t be surprised—it’s the kind of quiet heist that wins October.

It’s easy to chase aces when the lights are bright and the buzz is loud. But October is often won by the names no one tweeted about in July. If the Yankees are serious about patching their bullpen and not just posturing, Henriquez should be more than a footnote. Miami might not make headlines, but they sure make contenders sweat. Sometimes, the best fix isn’t flashy—it just throws 98 and costs six years.