The New York Yankees would probably tell everyone that they hit the trade deadline right out of the park, but they would also say they wanted to do more. One player who was on their radar was Sandy Alcantara, but they were not able to get a deal done for him.
After the trade deadline, it was revealed why a trade never happened, and it was because the Yankees didn't want to give up two key players, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman.
“Yankees declined to give up either Spencer Jones or George Lombard Jr. for Sandy Alcantara. Marlins control Alcantara and Edward Cabrera for multiple years after 2025, so they needed something big. Cubs and Red Sox tried hardest there, but no one came especially close,” Heyman wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Jones has a lot of potential, and the Yankees must like what he's doing in the minors for them not to want to include him in a deal. It makes sense, and the long-term results may end up working out in their favor.
There's a chance that the Miami Marlins may revisit trading Alcantara during the offseason, and the Yankees may have a change of heart by then.
For now, they're excited about the players they have on the team now as they were able to acquire three relievers, David Bednar from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Jake Bird from the Colorado Rockies, and Camilo Doval from the San Francisco Giants. They also traded for Jose Caballero midgame while they were playing the Tampa Bay Rays.
After the trade deadline, general manager Brian Cashman spoke about the moves the team made.
“We tried to improve every aspect of the club, and this is what we have to show for those efforts,” Cashman said via Ian O'Connor of The Athletic. “… I know we’re better. We are better today than we were yesterday, so mission accomplished there.”
The Yankees are in good position once again to make a run with the pieces they were able to acquire.