FLUSHING, NY — Miami’s right-handed starter Sandy Alcántara, a former National League LatinoMVP Pitcher of the Year, earned his 12th win of the season Sunday afternoon at Citi Field.
A constant name mentioned in trade talk with a deadline hours away, the 30-year-old Dominican left the ballpark on the Marlins’ team bus after their 2-0 win over the Mets.
Sandy Alcántara had an ace-like performance Sunday afternoon in Queens, tossing six innings with four hits and two walks allowed with five strikeouts – Image Credit: MLB
A weekend series victory for Miami to improve to 58-55 and stay in contention for a NL Wild Card spot was Sunday’s result. The Marlins have needed an ace and Alcántara (6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB and 5 strikeouts) continues to be just that, providing innings though his fastball is not as dominant as it was before his Tommy John surgery at the end of the 2023 season.
I asked Alcántara, “Do you expect to be a Marlin after the deadline?”
He responded with a smile: “Where else would I be? Of course, yes.” Indeed the talk about a trade has diminished as the Marlins departed Queens for LaGuardia Airport, headed to Atlanta next for a three-game series against the NL East division leading Braves.
Sandy Alcántara was named the National League LatinoMVP Starting Pitcher of the Year in 2022 by the Latino Sports Writers and Broadcasters Association – Image Credit: Emma Sharon/Latino Sports
And with the Marlins coming off a franchise-record 12-game losing streak, they have won six of their last seven as the deadline approaches. A wide gap between them and the Braves (9.5) but only 1-½ games behind the Phillies for the final NL Wild Card spot.
With that, the chances are Alcántara remains in Miami.
MLB’s trade deadline can be contentious for the players, management, fans, and media trying to put a handle on all of the buzz. An abundant number of scouts from other teams watched Alcántara up close Sunday and some others on Miami’s roster.
Also with interest in several Mets, a 47-66 team that as expected pulled off a trade, sending pitcher Freddy Peralta to the Rays for three prospects.
With the Rays (65-46) and Mets (47-66) agreeing to a trade Sunday afternoon, Freddy Peralta was dealt to Tampa Bay in exchange for three minor league prospects – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
Even Marlins manager Clayton McCullough is counting down the clock to this deadline. He said, “It’s not lost on anybody in that clubhouse that we need to just worry about winning games.”
And the games come down to a final stretch. This Monday, August 3rd at 6:00pm ET, the complexion of some rosters will change with a deadline that could see one or two new additions for Miami make a difference. The Marlins expect to compete for a wild card spot down to the wire. Six teams after play on Sunday are in range for that third and final spot.
Peralta exited Citi Field and did not meet with the media after shaking hands and hugging what was now his former teammates. Expected next are numerous trades for the Mets prior to the deadline. A team built to win over the winter and were shutout for the 12th time this season.
Injured RHP Clay Holmes is expected to be wearing another uniform too, striking out three across 5.1 innings in his final rehab start with High-A Brooklyn.
After AJ Minter and Freddy Peralta were the first two Mets to go ahead of Monday’s Trade Deadline, many expect RHP Clay Holmes to be next out the door – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
The afternoon at the ballpark was mainly consumed on trade watch such as Mets bullpen pieces scurrying back-and-forth, perplexed if this was their last day as a Met at Citi Field.
“We’re going to miss a great teammate, somebody who always kept it light and had a smile on his face every single day and competed his butt off,” Francisco Lindor said about Peralta.
Freddy Peralta won the 2024 National League LatinoMVP Starting Pitcher of the Year Award two years after Alcántara had done so – Image Credit: Francisco Rodriguez/Latino Sports
Peralta, now competing for Tampa Bay, was traded to a contender. The AL East division leading Rays who stand 65-46 and are trying to keep the Yankees at bay (2.5 games back). Similar to Alcántara, previously winning the NL LatinoMVP Pitcher of the Year, Peralta fortifies a starting rotation with All-Stars Drew Rasmussen and Cuban-American Nick Martinez.
Also in the fold is Shane McClanahan, expected back from the injured list, and Griffin Jax.
However in his Mets tenure, Peralta lost some velocity on what was a viscous fastball and could not provide length consistently. One of the many acquisitions that failed for president of baseball operations David Stearns, he was supposed to be the Mets’ co-ace with Holmes and rookie Nolan McLean—strong parts of a rotation and team that was a pre-season favorite to win the NL East.
In his first full year in the pros, Nolan McLean has gone 7-7 over 22 starts this season with a 3.29 ERA and 148 strikeouts – Image Credit: Al Pereira/Latino Sports
The Mets received Tampa’s No. 12 ranked prospect Aidan Smith (OF), RHP Gary Gill Hill (No. 26 prospect), and 2B Émilen Pitre (No. 27 prospect). The goal here is to refurnish a farm system with several key parts reaching the Show in due time.
Added interim manager Andy Green regarding Peralta, who will say goodbye to some and welcome new additions this week: “I know he’s disappointed by it. He came here to anchor a rotation and felt the weight of that. From talking to him, he certainly doesn’t feel like it went the way he hoped it would. I think we all feel that way.”
But this is the business of baseball. The Mets, next to the Dodgers with the second highest payroll in MLB, were never able to rebound from a slow start, and fired Carlos Mendoza. Now with the dog days of August and September here, it’s an adjustment period of meeting new faces and planning ahead.
The dog days of summer have arrived in Queens with the Mets selling many pieces off ahead of Monday’s Trade Deadline – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Next season is in jeopardy, with an ugly owners-players CBA negotiation and imminent lockout on the horizon. In the meantime, the Mets are playing out the string and accepting change for those who remain in the clubhouse.
“When you play the way we’ve been playing, things like this happen,” said Lindor. “People get traded and it can turn ugly. We have a job ahead of us that we’ve got to make the most out of this.”
Francisco Lindor and the Mets had not envisioned this season playing out the way it has 110 games into the year at 47-63 – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
The multiple-time LatinoMVP Lindor later said he hopes the Mets don’t lose many more via trade but that has become the business of baseball. Unfortunate, though if the contract allows and a team has needs, there will be a loss.
A losing season for the Mets as they continue to make some sense of this. For Alcántara and the Marlins, perhaps he stays and Miami makes a run for October baseball.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and columnist at LatinoSports.com with coverage of MLB, boxing, and MLS – X: @Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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