As the trade deadline approaches, the Chicago Cubs’ most pressing need is crystal clear: starting pitching. Cubs president Jed Hoyer will have to address that void, and while big names like top prospect have been on fans’ wish lists since Opening Day, the reality is proving far less appealing.
In a recent start against the Cincinnati Reds—a team that had scored just three runs combined in the first two games of the series—top star gave up three runs in the first inning and three more in the fourth. He ultimately surrendered six runs on nine hits over five innings, leaving the game with the Marlins trailing 6-0.
While every pitcher has off days, this kind of outing has become more common than not for Alcantara. Once considered among the league’s elite arms, he no longer consistently performs at that level. And while there’s still some bounce-back potential, the Cubs need to focus on acquiring arms that can help stabilize their rotation now and in the future. At this point, Alcantara simply doesn’t check those boxes.
Heading into Wednesday’s game, Sandy Alcantara carried a 7.01 ERA through 17 starts and 86 innings—already the worst mark among the 93 MLB pitchers with at least 80 innings pitched. After giving up six runs to the Reds, that ERA ballooned to 7.22 in 18 starts, somehow managing to get even worse.
Though he’s remained healthy, there’s little else to view as a positive in Alcantara’s 2025 campaign. His strikeout rate has declined, his walk rate has spiked, and his once-excellent ground ball rate has collapsed. Alcantara was never a dominant strikeout arm, but he used to rely on elite command and the ability to induce grounders at a high clip. This season, however, he’s lost all semblance of consistency, and the results have reflected that.
Simply put, the Cubs need to set their sights higher than a pitcher currently performing at the bottom of the league. Alcantara’s name might still carry weight based on past accolades, but his current form makes him an ill-fitting option for a team hoping to make a serious push. At this point, targeting arguably the worst starter in baseball would be a mistake the Cubs can’t afford.
Sandy Alcantara is proving his previous hot streak had little to do with him
Cubs fans were understandably intrigued by the idea of trading for Sandy Alcantara in early June, when he strung together four strong starts and appeared to be turning his season around. During that stretch, he posted a 2.74 ERA, fueling hope that he had moved past his early-season struggles. But that momentum has completely evaporated. In his last three outings, Alcantara has allowed 18 runs over just 17 innings, making it clear that the turnaround was short-lived—and perhaps misleading.
A closer look at those four “good” starts reveals much about why expectations should have been tempered. Alcantara’s opponents in that stretch were the Rockies, Pirates, Phillies, and Braves. Three of those lineups—Colorado, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta—rank among the bottom seven in MLB in runs scored. The Phillies, though a division leader, were missing both Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto when Alcantara faced them, and at the time were tied for 22nd in runs scored during the month of June. In other words, that strong run came against weakened or underperforming offenses.
Contrast that with his most recent three starts, where he’s faced three of the top 11 teams in runs scored—and the results have been disastrous. In fact, Alcantara entered Wednesday with an 8.85 ERA across nine starts against teams with records at or above .500. That number will rise after his rough outing against the Reds, who tagged him for six runs.
For a Cubs team hoping to play meaningful baseball in October, acquiring a pitcher who consistently falters against winning teams would be a misstep. Alcantara’s reputation might still carry some weight, but the on-field reality shows a pitcher who is nowhere near postseason-ready. Cubs fans—and the front office—should expect more.
Cubs can ill afford to bank on a Sandy Alcantara bounce-back
Cubs fans remain intrigued by the idea of trading for Sandy Alcantara, even amid his struggles, hoping he can rediscover the form that once made him a Cy Young winner. And to be fair, there are reasons to believe in the upside—his track record is impressive, and while his advanced metrics are troubling, they don’t quite support a 7.22 ERA. Still, that optimism shouldn’t drive the Cubs’ decision-making. They’re in a win-now window, and Alcantara simply isn’t the type of arm they should be banking on in the stretch run.
The 2025 season represents a rare, high-stakes opportunity for Chicago—most notably, it’s the only guaranteed year they’ll have superstar Kyle Tucker on the roster. That puts added urgency on the front office to prioritize immediate, high-impact talent. While Alcantara might rebound after a full offseason of reset and recovery, the odds of him suddenly flipping a switch over the final two months are slim at best.
Yes, there’s some appeal in acquiring a former Cy Young winner, and the long-term potential is tempting. But Alcantara’s current performance paints the picture of a pitcher who is far from playoff-ready. If the Cubs want to capitalize on the championship-caliber core they’ve assembled, they need to target arms who are producing right now—not ones who might bounce back.
Fun doesn’t win rings. Effectiveness does. And with time ticking on their best shot at a title, the Cubs can’t afford to take a gamble on one of the worst-performing starters in baseball this season.