MLB rumors: Latest on Marlins' Sandy Alcantara, Cardinals' plans after Willson Contreras trade
Here's the latest from MLB's hot stove as we hit the Offseason Solstice
By
Mike Axisa
•
2 min read
Friday is the Offseason Solstice. We are exactly as many days away from Game 7 of the World Series as we are to the first official spring training games in Arizona and Florida. Only a handful of the very best free agents have signed and even fewer big names have been traded. That just means it'll be a busy few weeks leading into spring training. Here now are Friday's hot stove rumors.
Marlins want to keep Alcantara
Despite heavy interest dating back to the trade deadline, the Marlins want to keep ace Sandy Alcantara, reports the Miami Herald. They would need a huge offer just to consider a trade. Miami will listen on righty Edward Cabrera, though the Astros and Orioles are not longer pursuing him given their recent rotation pickups. Houston added Mike Burrows, the O's Shane Baz.
Alcantara, 30, had a rough 2025 overall, his first year back from Tommy John surgery. He pitched much better late in the season, however, and the interest at the deadline shows teams still believe in his upside and aren't scared away by poor performance. Alcantara is owed $17 million in 2026 with a $21 million club option for 2027, so there's no urgency to trade him this offseason.
The Marlins signed closer Pete Fairbanks to a one-year, $13 million contract earlier this week. That came soon after it was reported right-hander Ronny Henriquez, Miami's best reliever in 2025, will miss 2026 following UCL surgery. Even with the Fairbanks signing, the team's projected 2026 payroll is only slightly above their 2025 payroll ($73 million vs. $70 million), per FanGraphs.
Cardinals want a righty outfield bat
After trading Willson Contreras to the Red Sox, the Cardinals want to add a right-handed bat, POBO Chaim Bloom told reporters (via MLB.com). Ideally, that righty bat would play the outfield, where St. Louis has two lefty hitters lined up (Lars Nootbaar and Victor Scott II). Here are the top available righty hitting free agent outfielders according to FanGraphs' projected 2026 WAR:
- Harrison Bader: +1.5 WAR
- Miguel Andujar: +1.2 WAR
- Randal Grichuk: +0.6 WAR
- Austin Hays: +0.4 WAR
- Tommy Pham: +0.4 WAR
Not the most exciting group. Bader figures to command more than the Cardinals want to spend. Andujar is a DH more than an outfielder. Grichuk and Pham are into their decline phases. Hays has a surprisingly strong market and could sign with a contender rather than a Cardinals team that is prioritizing long-term stability over short-term contention.
St. Louis has already traded away Contreras and Sonny Gray this offseason. Brendan Donovan seems likely to be moved at some point, ditto Nolan Arenado, though his declining production and no-trade clause won't make it easy. After going 78-84 in 2025, the Cardinals are in danger of posting losing records in back-to-back non-strike, non-pandemic seasons for the first time since 1958-59.
