BLOCKBUSTER TRADE ALERT: Padres Propose Mega Deal Featuring Ethan Salas, Leo De Vries, and More for Marlins Ace Sandy Alcantara

In a bold move that has set the baseball world ablaze, the San Diego Padres have reportedly submitted a massive trade offer to the Miami Marlins, centered around acquiring 2022 NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara. According to multiple league sources, the Padres’ front office has tabled a blockbuster package that includes Ethan Salas, Leo De Vries, and two additional high-ranking prospects in an effort to land the Marlins’ ace right-hander.

The proposed deal would instantly reshape the Padres’ pitching rotation while signaling a potential retooling phase for the Marlins, who may be ready to cash in on one of the most valuable arms in Major League Baseball.

San Diego’s willingness to part with Ethan Salas, their 18-year-old catching phenom and one of the top prospects in all of baseball, underscores the level of seriousness and desperation in the Padres’ current strategy. Salas has long been considered the crown jewel of the Padres’ farm system—an advanced hitter for his age with elite defensive skills behind the plate. Alongside him in the proposed package is Leo De Vries, a teenage shortstop sensation from the Dominican Republic, whose tools and upside have impressed scouts across the league.

This potential deal, which also includes two more yet-to-be-named prospects, may mark a full-throttle return to the Padres’ high-risk, high-reward style of team-building—a strategy that defined the A.J. Preller era. The club has been trying to retool after a disappointing 2024 campaign, where injuries and inconsistency plagued both their rotation and offense.

If completed, this trade would be among the most significant prospect-for-pitcher swaps in recent memory. It would signal San Diego’s renewed commitment to winning now while also sacrificing a huge piece of its future.

After a strong showing in 2022 that earned him Cy Young honors, Sandy Alcantara remains one of the most coveted arms in baseball. Known for his electric fastball, bulldog mentality, and ability to work deep into games, Alcantara has been the foundation of Miami’s rotation.

However, with Alcantara rehabbing from Tommy John surgery—which caused him to miss the entire 2024 season—there’s uncertainty about when and how well he’ll return. Despite that, the Padres appear undeterred. Their belief in his long-term durability and front-line potential seems to outweigh the short-term risk of his recovery timeline.

Padres insiders believe that pairing Alcantara with a rotation featuring Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish (assuming health), along with rising young arms, could give the team a championship-caliber staff in 2025 and beyond.

For the Marlins, who finished near the bottom of the NL East last season, this offer presents a tempting opportunity to expedite a rebuild around elite young talent. The inclusion of Salas and De Vries would give them two top-100-caliber prospects overnight, adding to a farm system that has lacked depth in recent years.

With Alcantara’s future uncertain post-surgery and the team facing budget constraints, Miami might see this as the ideal moment to move on from their ace while maximizing his trade value.

Some league executives suggest the Marlins are not actively shopping Alcantara, but an offer of this magnitude—built around arguably the most talented teenage duo in any system—would be hard to ignore.

The Padres fan base is sharply divided. Some see the proposal as a necessary swing for the fences to push the team into title contention, especially after years of near-misses. Others are devastated by the thought of losing Salas, who many viewed as the franchise catcher for the next decade.

In Miami, fans are bracing for a potential farewell to a beloved star—but many are intrigued by the idea of acquiring cornerstone pieces who could blossom into stars themselves. For a franchise that has struggled to consistently contend, this might be a chance to reload with upside that could define the next era of Marlins baseball.

No deal has been finalized yet, and discussions are reportedly ongoing. Both clubs are evaluating medicals, future projections, and the long-term implications of the deal. The Marlins are said to be deliberating whether to push for an even greater return or pull back entirely and hold Alcantara until the trade deadline or even the 2026 offseason.