Padres have a tempting reason to test a rebuilding NL East team’s patience on its ace

The Padres don’t have to believe the Marlins want to move their ace. They just have to believe Miami might eventually get tired of holding him.

That’s why the idea of prying Sandy Alcántara away from the Miami Marlins is so tempting — even if Miami’s posture right now is basically, “we’re not giving him away, and we might not even entertain this before the season.” 

Padres targeting Sandy Alcantara would be an aggressive reset for a strained staff

From the Padres’ side, the logic is simple: reliable innings have become the most valuable currency in baseball, and the rotation still desperately screams “one more proven arm, please.” Alcántara is a workload profile you can build plans around when he’s right. And his contract structure is exactly the kind of thing A.J. Preller should be sniffing around: he’s due about $17.3 million in 2026, with a $21 million club option for 2027 (with a buyout). That’s not cheap, but it’s absolutely workable for a pitcher who can pitch like a No. 1. 

The Marlins can say they’re holding — and they might mean it — but rebuilding teams don’t love paying market-ish prices for risk, and Alcántara still comes with plenty of that. His 2025 line (5.36 ERA over 174.2 innings) was a reminder that the post–Tommy John ramp can be messy.  If he looks like the 2022 version early, the price probably skyrockets. If he’s inconsistent again, Miami’s leverage softens, and the calls get a lot easier to take in July.

The Padres don’t need to wait for a clean, obvious moment. Apply pressure early, stay involved, and make Miami feel like there’s a real market ready to pounce the second the Marlins blink. The New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, and Baltimore Orioles will be lurking and mentioned by default in every ace rumor. 

But the Padres’ best move is the one they’ve always been wired for. Get uncomfortably aggressive before the market feels “ready,” and see who flinches first. If Miami wants to play tough, fine. Preller’s whole brand is turning “fine” into “now.”