Mets stars want Alcantara in Queens: 'Would almost be like adding Soto'

Three months still remain before the trade deadline, but the New York Mets are already dreaming of Sandy Alcantara in blue and orange.

Several Mets stars endorsed the idea of their team trading for Alcantara, the 2022 NL Cy Young winner, if the Miami Marlins make him available later this year.

"It would almost be like adding (Juan) Soto," shortstop Francisco Lindor told Mike Puma of the New York Post. "You add Soto, it's going to help the team. You add Alcantara, and it's going to help the team."

Soto agreed, saying, "It would be one of the best trades that we could have. I know we have great pitching here, but adding a Cy Young winner like that would be huge."

Right now, though, Alcantara's still a Marlin, and he made the Mets' lives miserable Tuesday. In his second start of the season, he struck out four while allowing three hits over five innings in a 4-2 Miami victory. Alcantara, who missed last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, earned his first win since September 2023.

The 29-year-old was the unanimous 2022 NL Cy Young winner despite pitching for a 93-loss Marlins team. He put up a 2.28 ERA and 0.98 WHIP that season, and established himself as a workhorse by tossing an MLB-high 228 2/3 innings, along with six complete games and one shutout.

Despite the Marlins' surprising 4-2 start to this season, questions about Alcantara's future with the rebuilding club have grown louder in recent months. Miami, which went 62-100 without its ace in 2024, is widely expected to finish last in the NL East once again. A healthy Alcantara would likely fetch a big return from a contender if he's made available.

The Marlins were quick to wave the white flag last May when they dealt reigning batting champion Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres. President of baseball operations Peter Bendix has tried to squelch talk of an early Alcantara trade, saying last week that it was way too early to even begin thinking about such a move.

Alcantara could be a perfect fit atop a Mets rotation that has some good pitchers but might lack a true No. 1. Soto, who was retired by the two-time All-Star twice in Tuesday's game, sees the right-hander as exactly that type of ace.

"If he goes to a team that has a chance to compete at the end, I think you are going to see who he is," the star slugger said. "He is doing that on a team that has no serious chance to go to the playoffs, but he keeps trying and competing even without run support. Whenever he goes to a winning team you are going to see what Sandy Alcantara is capable of."