Every decision in baseball has a story behind it, but some are more strategic than they seem. When a star pitcher suddenly sees his innings cut, the official explanation might not tell the whole tale.

David Samson, former Marlins president, isn’t buying the surface-level reasoning. On the latest episode of Nothing Personal with David Samson, he connected the dots, suggesting that a $56 million ace might be getting prepped for a trade. If a team knows it’s not going the distance this season, do they start making moves before the game is even up?

The Marlins’ $56 million ace, Sandy Alcantara, has been the center of trade speculation. Samson believes moving him isn’t just a choice; it’s the only logical move. He stated, “The Marlins would be practicing franchise malpractice if they don’t trade Sandy to a contender.”

That is one strong take. But he isn’t alone in having this take. ESPN’s Harold Reynolds has also mentioned, “I think he’s going to be traded now,” and then comes Jon Morosi, “I think he is going to be traded at the deadline.” What’s with the deadline? It’s simple. Samson summed it up, stating, “You get a far bigger return when you trade a pitcher at the deadline than when you trade him at the beginning of spring training.” Teams that are contending are in dire need of an elite arm. And if history has taught us anything, it’s the fact that deadline deals bring in the best offers.

However, this is where it all gets even more interesting. Was Sandy Alcantara’s innings limit part of a bigger plan? Samson questioned, “Does it make sense to protect that player early and to put him on an innings limit?” If a team is aware that they won’t make the playoffs (the Miami Marlins are currently +2000 to qualify), why risk the injury when you can keep your best trade asset preserved?

“The question you specifically asked was, ‘Have I ever done that? and the answer is no.” Samson emphasized that he never did this himself. He admits that he always believed some breaks could change an entire season.
What’s next for Sandy Alcantara? Given the history, he won’t be in Miami for long. And if Samson is right, what the Miami Marlins are doing is simply suitable for their future, whether fans like it or not.

Sandy Alcantara’s return is turning heads for all the right reasons

Sandy Alcantara didn’t just make a comeback; he’s making headlines. In his Grapefruit League start against the Braves, the former Cy Young winner hit triple digits on the radar gun, touching 100 mph. Not once. TWICE!

He recorded three strikeouts in two shutout innings. He also fired 30 pitches with the kind of resilience that put him among the league’s elite in the first place. “Everything feels good with my arm,” Alcantara said right after the game.
During his first spring outing against the Mets, he was already hitting 99 mph. Sandy Alcantara threw 13 of 17 pitches for strikes. He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t show any signs of rust. Just pure power.

Adding to that belief, the only starting pitcher who reached triple digits this spring is AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. That’s the kind of company Sandy Alcantara finds himself in. As we count down to opening day on March 27 against the Pirates, the Miami Marlins have a huge decision to make. Whether to stick with their ace for a longer run or head towards something bigger.

Well, if Sandy Alcantara keeps throwing like this, the baseball world will be watching out. And with everything stirring around him, this comeback might just turn out to be something much bigger.