Since the moment he won the 2022 National League Cy Young Award, Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara was labeled as a future trade target.

Fast forward to present day and Alcantara appears to not be headed anywhere for a third consecutive season.

Marlins likely to keep Sandy Alcantara

According to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, Miami is likely going to hang onto Alcantara past the Aug. 3 trade deadline. It's been a surprise season for the Marlins, as they have the fifth most wins in all of baseball and the best record since June 1.

"Barring an utter collapse, the hottest team in baseball not only intends to keep staff ace Sandy Alcantara, but also add strategically to its roster, according to people briefed on the club’s plans who were granted anonymity to speak freely," wrote Rosenthal.

Alcantara has put together an okay season, posting a record of 10-4 with a 4.00 ERA. The 10 wins is tied for third most among starting pitchers, but the ERA is a bit higher than usual for a pitcher with double-digit victories.

Who are upgrades at other positions?

Rosenthal went on to list third base, starting pitcher and a high-leverage reliever as the major needs for Miami. One team that fits the bill could be the New York Mets, a division rival that is well out of playoff contention.

The team that truly could have a little bit of everything that the Marlins need would be the San Francisco Giants. Imagine if Miami was able to pull off a trade that involved Robbie Ray and Matt Chapman being shipped to the 305.

It will be intriguing to see just how aggressive the Marlins front office gets prior to the trade deadline, but the news of them likely keeping Alcantara makes a ton of sense if they are truly trying to compete.