With the Padres in reach of the NL West lead but hurt by an uncertain starting rotation, Tony Gwynn Jr. points to Marlins ace Sandy Alcántara as a potential trade target. San Diego’s record keeps them in contention, but injuries to Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrov
On May 27, the Padres are close enough to feel hope—31-23, and within striking distance of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 35-20 lead in the National League West. They would host a Wild Card game if the postseason started today.
But the mood in San Diego can’t ignore what’s happening on the mound.
The Padres don’t have a healthy starter with an ERA under 5.00. After Michael King went 4-3 with a 2.76 ERA. Randy Vásquez posted a 5-3 mark with a 3.28 ERA. and Lucas Giolito arrived with a 2-0 record and a 2.70 ERA—those three have been the bright spots. Beyond them, the rotation has been roiled by injuries and unanswered questions.
Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove were supposed to stabilize things. They haven’t been in the lineup, sidelined by injuries with no return date circled for either pitcher.
Tony Gwynn Jr., the former Padres outfielder and longtime TV and radio analyst, thinks that’s exactly where an aggressive move could make sense. On the Baseball Tonight podcast, Gwynn singled out Sandy Alcántara as the kind of name that could fit the Padres’ needs.
“The name that jumps out to me is Sandy Alcántara,” Gwynn told Buster Olney on the Baseball Tonight podcast. “I mean. I think it’s an (Padres president of baseball operations) AJ Preller type name and move that I think would be a huge piece. especially given the unknown of Joe Musgrove at this point … and Nick Pivetta — I don’t want to forget him — both of those guys are out with really no timetable on when they’re coming back.”.
The trading logic is straightforward: if San Diego’s rotation can’t count on its missing pieces, acquiring a dependable starter becomes urgent—not theoretical. That urgency is amplified by the calendar and the reality of how the market works.
For the Marlins, Alcántara’s value could rise because their own path back to the postseason is steep. At 26-30, they would need to leapfrog six teams to jump back into the NL Wild Card picture. The deficit isn’t described as insurmountable. but it is deep enough that the Marlins can expect to receive a few phone calls between now and Aug. 3 if they don’t improve.
Alcántara fits the type of ask contenders make. At 30 years old, he is 3-3 with a 4.00 ERA in 11 starts. He was the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner. and his 2025 season included a rough return to action after Tommy John surgery—his first full season back. Still, he appears to be rounding into form.
His profile also reads like a trade magnet. His fastball is averaging 97.2 mph, and he has not missed a start this season. That kind of availability matters when a contender’s rotation is already compromised.
It’s not only the need that stands out—it’s the question of whether San Diego has the pieces to make it happen.
The Padres’ trade interest would have to run through Marlins control details that make the deal feel both plausible and complicated. The Marlins currently hold a club option on Alcántara for $21 million for the 2027 season. If the Padres—or any team—traded for him, they would get him for this season and next.
For Preller, though, the bigger hurdle may not be whether Alcántara would improve the rotation. Gwynn’s point, and the Padres’ situation, both suggest the improvement is clear. The real unknown is whether the Padres can pry him loose with the prospect capital required—especially when teams with deeper farm systems than San Diego are likely to want him.
Preller has a reputation for swinging when the sport says the odds are wrong. Last year, he orchestrated a stunning six-player deadline trade that sent top prospect Leo De Vries to the A’s for closer Mason Miller.
For now, the standings give San Diego a reason to believe it can keep its season on track. The injured rotation gives it a reason to act.
Whether Alcántara becomes the move that steadies their postseason chances may come down to one thing: the Padres’ willingness to turn urgency into a trade before the market gets thin.
Marlins Sandy Alcántara Padres AJ Preller Tony Gwynn Jr. MLB trade National League Wild Card NL West standings starting rotation injuries