Phillies need to trade for Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara as Andrew Painter's struggles continue

The Philadelphia Phillies are trying to get back on track after nearly losing every game over a two-week stretch. However, they have started to find their footing a bit since moving on from former manager Rob Thomson.

Lately, Andrew Painter has struggled on the mound, and his start on Thursday night was another example of that. His fastball has not had the movement the Phillies were hoping for, making it easier for opposing hitters to square up.

“Statcast shows the pitches have below average movement compared to pitchers who throw those pitches at a similar velocity and release point. His four-seam fastball averages -0.7 inches less vertical break and -3.2 inches less horizontal break, while his sinker averages -4.0 inches less vertical break and -2.6 inches less horizontal break,” MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki wrote.

Phillies need to swing trade for Sandy Alcantara

If Painter’s struggles continue, the Phillies may need to pursue a reliable and proven arm. One name that makes plenty of sense is NL East rival Sandy Alcantara.

Alcantara got off to a strong start this season, throwing the first complete game of 2026. Since then, however, his ERA has risen, and he now sits at a 3-2 record.

Not only would Alcantara be a strong fit for Philadelphia as a former Cy Young Award winner, but he is also viewed as one of the most likely players to be traded at the deadline.

More: Cubs losing Matthew Boyd to injury creates immediate urgency to trade for Sandy Alcantara

“It's early, but Sandy Alcantara seems like the most likely player to be traded at the deadline. The Marlins are 9.5 games out of the NL East race, currently tied with the Nationals and Phillies. I do not see Miami winning that battle given the resources available to them. Ideally, this ownership group would invest in the roster, but that's a longshot. Instead, the Marlins will do what they always do — dump proven, talented veterans to contending teams for cheaper prospect capital,” FanSided’s Mark Powell wrote.

The Miami Marlins got off to a strong start as a team, but reality has started to set in a bit. Meanwhile, the Phillies still believe they have a legitimate shot at reaching the playoffs and potentially catching the red-hot Atlanta Braves.

Philadelphia getting Alcantara also comes with a club option for 2027. Adding Alcantara to a rotation that already features Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, and Jesus Luzardo would give Philadelphia one of the strongest pitching staffs in baseball. With that kind of rotation, the Phillies’ offensive struggles would not be nearly as damaging because they would consistently limit opposing offenses from scoring runs.

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