Should the Padres pursue former Cy Young winner at the 2025 trade deadline?

The San Diego Padres' pitching rotation could be in trouble. Riddled with injuries for all of the 2025 season, it's still unclear how stable the staff will be as we move into the back-half of the campaign. Ideally, Yu Darvish returns and provides the star power he usually does, but that's no guarantee as he is now 38 years old.

So, who could the Friars target? R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports thinks that San Diego may throw their hat into the ring for former NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara.

Alcantara, 29, has not been the same pitcher since missing the entirety of the 2024 season to recover from Tommy John surgery. Entering July 4, the Miami Marlins right-hander has a 6.98 ERA and a 7.1 K/9.

Those numbers don't jump off the screen very well, but it's not because Alcantara's velocity is going down. He can still rear back and hit 99 MPH, and his stuff is still very good, but he's just not locating well on his fastball. Alcantara is mainly a sinker-baller, but his slider has been his best pitch this season. If he can utilize his slider more often, that might be his ticket to his return to normalcy as an All-Star.

Also, a change of scenery can always help a player recharge.

What would a trade package to the Marlins look like in order to attain Alcantara? The Marlins are not in win now mode, so the Friars would probably have to tap into their prospects. However, considering that Alcantara has not been spectacular post-Tommy John, his price tag would not be very expensive. Alcantara also does not become a free agent until 2027, so the Padres have an opportunity to rework him into a viable pitcher without laying out a huge contract.

Going after Sandy Alcantara might not be a bad move. He isn't on a lofty contract, the Padres would not have to give up the entire farm for him, and his arsenal just needs a little bit of tinkering to potentially come back to his dominant self once again.