Does the Marlins' pitching depth make a trade more likely?

ORLANDO, Fla. – When you have talented and controllable starting pitching like the Marlins, it’s no surprise to be the subject of trade rumors.

According to a report by The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the Orioles are among the clubs interested in Edward Cabrera. Sources had told MLB.com that teams to inquire about Cabrera leading up to this year's Deadline are doing the same again. Cabrera and Sandy Alcantara have been two of the more popular names in the rumor mill over the past year, and it’s part of president of baseball operations Peter Bendix’s gig to listen on offers.

Keep in mind: Since there aren’t any expiring contracts, Miami doesn’t have to trade anyone away and can hold the line, so to speak, unless there's a return deemed worthy.

Here are things to consider when it comes to the Marlins’ starting-pitching inventory and what MLB.com is hearing so far at the Winter Meetings this week:

Who is on the 40-man roster and what’s their contract status?
• RHP Sandy Alcantara ($17.3 million in 2026, $21 million club option for 2027)
• RHP Edward Cabrera (Super 2; free agent after ’28 season)
• RHP Eury Pérez (pre-arbitration)
• LHP Ryan Weathers (first year arbitration-eligible)
• LHP Braxton Garrett (Super 2; free agent after ’28 season)
• RHP Max Meyer (Super 2; free agent after ’29 season)
• RHP Janson Junk (pre-arbitration)
• RHP Adam Mazur(pre-arbitration)
• RHP Ryan Gusto (pre-arbitration)
• LHP Dax Fulton (yet to debut)

What are things to consider with Alcantara?
Alcantara, 30, is owed more money and has fewer years of club control compared to the others. And while the dollar amount might be less than what a club might have to spend on the free-agent market, the uncertainty surrounding the 2027 Collective Bargaining Agreement might give organizations pause.

Then there’s the player evaluation. Alcantara struggled in his return from Tommy John surgery (5.36 overall ERA) until the final eight starts of the 2025 season (2.68 ERA). On a scale of unanimous 2022 National League Cy Young winner to pitcher trying to rediscover himself, opposing clubs view Alcantara somewhere in between.

The Marlins believe they can compete for a postseason berth in 2026, and Alcantara is a frontline arm to help get them there like he has done twice before. He and Garrett are the only pitchers with a postseason start (Weathers made a relief appearance for the Padres in his MLB debut).

Off the field, Alcantara is one of the franchise faces, a strong clubhouse leader and an example of a successful extension under the current ownership group.

What about Cabrera?
Cabrera, who turns 28 in April, finally broke out in 2025. Stuff has never been an issue: an upper-90s sinker, a 96 mph changeup and a curveball and slider that put him in the 94th percentile for breaking run value (10). The biggest reason for Cabrera’s success was his ability to consistently be in the strike zone.

The elephant in the room pertaining to Cabrera -- whether it be the Marlins trusting him to be part of the club’s 2026 campaign or another team interested in his services – is his ability to stay on the mound. Cabrera’s injury history is well-known, and thus could impact a possible return in a trade package. While Cabrera made a career-high 26 starts, he did have two injury scares in 2025: posterior right elbow discomfort in mid-July that didn’t land him on the injured list and a right elbow sprain that did until the season’s final week.

Are pitchers coming back from injury receiving interest?
Garrett (Tommy John surgery), Meyer (left hip labral repair surgery) and Weathers (left flexor muscle strain, left lat strain) missed varying amounts of time in 2025 due to injury, but their situations are different and would be selling low.

No one will have an idea of how the 28-year-old Garrett looks post-Tommy John surgery until Spring Training rolls around, so that makes for an uncertain market.

Meyer has been sidelined due to Tommy John surgery (2022-23), right shoulder bursitis (September 2024) and this year’s hip surgery so far in his MLB career. Meyer, who turns 27 in March, had a 3.18 ERA through his first six starts in 2025 before it jumped to 6.46 over the next six starts. Also to take into consideration: Meyer may project as a backend reliever at some point in his career.

Weathers has missed substantial time in 2024-25, though his second injury of '25 was due to a fluke incident in Tampa. Teams are intrigued by his upside after seeing his velocity better than ever during Spring Training.

If the Marlins traded someone, then what?
Miami might then sign a free agent to a one-year deal, much like the club did in 2025 by dealing Jesús Luzardo and signing Cal Quantrill.