(Photo credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

If Miami Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara makes his scheduled road start against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night, he will have the full attention of contending teams seeking pitching help.

Alcantara (5-9, 6.66 ERA) is one of the top starters who could be dealt before Thursday's trade deadline.

After struggling for much of this season to come back from Tommy John surgery, Alcantara delivered a dominant performance last Wednesday -- just in time to boost his stock.

He held the San Diego Padres to one unearned run in seven innings of a 3-2 victory, Alcantara struck out four, walked none and allowed just four hits while looking more like the pitcher who won the 2022 National League Cy Young Award.

Before that, Alcantara allowed 22 runs on 32 hits in 23 innings over four starts.

'There is a lot of people that they don't believe in (me), but if I believe, I don't care what they say, so I've just got to trust in God's process, just be out there,' Alcantara, 29, said. 'It doesn't matter what they say, doesn't matter what happens. Just be out there and fighting for my team.'

The Marlins won six of their first eight games coming out of the All-Star break to edge closer in the National League wild-card race. But that didn't quell speculation that Miami could sell off some players to continue its rebuilding.

MLB.com reported the team traded catcher Nick Fortes to the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday for outfield prospect Matthew Etzel.

Alcantara is under contract through next season, with a club option for 2027.

'I just feel great being here at this organization,' he said. '(If) something happens, (it) just happens. I've just got to be able to compete, be able to work, and just let everything happen.'

Alcantara is 1-4 with a 1.91 ERA in six career starts against St. Louis, his former team (2017).

The Cardinals, who won the series opener 7-1 Monday night, also are potentially in flux ahead of the trade deadline. Relievers Ryan Helsley and Steven Matz and second baseman Brendan Donovan have been the subject of trade rumors.

But Tuesday starter Sonny Gray (10-4, 4.33 ERA) has a no-trade clause, and the right-hander has shown no willingness to move.

Gray will try to rebound from his worst two-game sequence of the season. He allowed 16 runs (14 earned) on 22 hits, including four homers, in just 8 1/3 innings.

'I feel like I've thrown the ball fine,' Gray said. 'I don't think don't I've thrown the ball as well as I would have liked to have thrown the ball. My last two outings have been what they've been. They (skewed) some numbers and made it look uglier.

Most recently, Gray gave up seven runs (six earned) and 11 hits over five innings in a 9-7 victory over the San Diego Padres on Thursday.

'I will say this (last) time ... there was not a bone in my body that was giving in or that was conceding. I did feel deep in my core that I was continuing to press the envelope. There wasn't a give in. It just didn't really go my way.'

Gray is 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA in six career starts against the Marlins.

Miami hopes to get outfielder Kyle Stowers back in the lineup against Gray. He sat out Monday's game due to illness.

--Field Level Media