The New York Mets signed superstar Juan Soto and re-signed slugger Pete Alonso this offseason. These moves overshadowed the additions of Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes to the starting rotation. However, with Montas expected to miss a lengthy period of time, the Mets may need to bring in another arm.
The Mets’ addition of Soto, combined with Alonso’s deal that allows him to opt out after the season, signals that they are fully committed to this season. Their rotation already lacked a real ace, and losing Montas adds to the strain due to their great expectations. While listing potential trade targets, Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer suggested Sandy Alcántara could be in play for the Mets.
Alcántara did not pitch in 2024 for the Miami Marlins because he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. Nonetheless, he is a two-time All-Star and the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner. He could be available for trade on a rebuilding Marlins squad. He was unable to build on his Cy Young Award season, making him a potentially less expensive purchase.
He signed a five-year, $56 million extension in 2021 and has two seasons left with a $21 million club option in 2027. The Mets may make a trade to replace Montas with a legitimate ace while keeping him around for the next few seasons. Alcántara’s career ERA is 3.32 in 146 games. During his dominant 2022 season, he led Major League Baseball with 228 2/3 innings pitched and six complete games. He also had 2.28 ERA and 207 strikeouts. Adding Alcántara while his worth is as low as it has ever been may be a high-reward decision for the Mets.
