The New York Yankees are still figuring things out with their pitching staff, and fans shouldn’t get too excited about a trade yet. Even though there have been rumors about the Yankees targeting Sandy Alcántara from the Marlins for a trade deal, recent updates suggest that Miami is probably not keen on letting him go soon. The Marlins have already traded Jesús Luzardo to the Phillies. It looks like they want to hang on to Alcántara as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. 

The Yankees are facing a frustrating decision. With Gerrit Cole’s elbow injury impacting their rotation and uncertainties around Carlos Rodón and other pitchers like Nestor Cortes Jr. and Clarke Schmidt, acquiring a top-tier pitcher like Alcántara would help solve their problems. But Miami seems hesitant to trade him now due to his decreased value after missing the 2024 season. If they decide to trade him, it might be closer to the trade deadline when more teams are in need of pitching assistance. 

According to Buster Olney of Baseball Tonight, “The Marlins are gonna want absolutely top dollar and the Yankees would have to compete against a lot of teams for Sandy at a time when their farm system is down. I think Kylie McDaniel has them, ranked somewhere in the bottom ten.” Also, the Yankees are “not in a great position to compete with other organizations, as they were at the trade deadline last year.”

Another factor is the Marlins’ direction. While they’ve been shedding talent, they’re not completely gutting the roster. Trading Alcántara now—before he’s fully healthy—would be selling low on a pitcher who won the 2022 NL Cy Young Award. Even if they decide to move him, they want full value, and that might not be possible until he re-establishes himself. 

Furthermore, New York continues to face challenges with their pitching staff and lacks a farm system to compete in negotiations for Alcántaras’s services. If he becomes an option for trade talks,, the Yankees may need to consider trade options with limited prospect capital and may have to depend on their existing pitchers. 

For now, Yankees fans hoping for an Alcántara trade might have to wait until midseason—if it even happens at all.

Are the Yankees willing to spend?

The Yankees have exceeded the luxury tax limit already. Their hesitation towards making another financial investment hints that they might not be inclined to spend as much as fans anticipate them to do. Given that both Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery are no longer available in the free agency market, this leaves the Yankees with fewer choices. If the Yankees were truly committed to enhancing their pitching rotation at all costs, then they would have probably shown interest in pursuing one of these pitchers. Their careful strategy suggests a preference to retain a degree of adaptability while having one of the payrolls in Major League Baseball at present.

A trade remains the most viable path to securing another frontline starter, but that route would also require the Yankees to take on a significant salary or plan for future extensions. Pursuing a pitcher like Corbin Burnes or Jesús Luzardo would not only cost top prospects but also create future payroll concerns. Burnes has signed a six-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Luzardo will be arbitration-eligible through 2026. With Hal Steinbrenner previously voicing concerns about excessive payroll expansion, the Yankees may be hesitant to commit to another massive financial obligation.

If the Yankees want Luzardo—or any ace-level arm—they need to get creative. Whether that means overpaying in a trade or shifting focus to another pitcher, they can’t afford to stand still. The AL East isn’t getting any easier, and without reinforcements, this rotation could be a major problem come October.