Sandy shines in possible farewell start

[Isaac Azout]

MIAMI—In what may have been his final home start as a Miami Marlin, Sandy Alcantara delivered his best outing of the season on Wednesday afternoon. Behind their longtime ace, the Marlins edged the Padres, 3–2, to secure both the game and the series. Miami has now won both series since the All-Star break and seven of its last nine overall.

“Very, very happy with how we came out of the break,” said manager Clayton McCullough. “Finished the first half strong in Baltimore, and to win both series here at home was very important.”

The Marlins gave Alcantara some early cushion. With two on and two out in the first, rookie Agustín Ramírez ripped a 104.9 mph line drive into center field to put Miami on the board. It marked Ramírez’s 45th RBI of the season, most among National League rookies.

After allowing 22 earned runs over his previous four starts, the Marlins needed Alcantara to rebound in a big way—and he did. With a chance to win the series against a contending San Diego team and the trade deadline looming, the stakes were high Wednesday. Alcantara set the tone right away. 

The 29-year-old retired the first 10 batters he faced, striking out four along the way. The first Padre to reach base was his former teammate, Luis Arraez, who singled through a hole on the left side. Moments later, catcher Nick Fortes airmailed a pickoff attempt into right field, allowing Arraez to advance. Manny Machado followed with an RBI single, tying the game at 1–1. The run was unearned.

“Everything was working very well today,” Alcantara said postgame. “Sinker was great, changeup was good, slider, curve—everything was working.”

Alcantara cruised through seven innings, facing just two over the minimum while inducing a pair of signature double plays.

His final line: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 4 K on 98 pitches (67 strikes).

Alcantara later revealed a subtle adjustment that may have helped. For the first time in his career, he lowered his vertical release point on some breaking balls to below 5.5 feet—something he had considered trying earlier this year.

“I was thinking of doing it a couple months ago and I wasn’t able to,” he said. “But today I decided to do it and it felt great.”

Miami reclaimed the lead in the fifth on a two-run homer by Jesús Sánchez, his eighth of the season. Josh Simpson gave up a run in the eighth, but Calvin Faucher nailed down a five-out save—his longest appearance of the season—to lock up the win. The Marlins improved to 48–53, while the Padres dropped to 55–47.

With the MLB trade deadline just eight days away, Alcantara’s outing couldn’t have come at a better time. Once expected to be a clear trade candidate, the right-hander’s up-and-down return from Tommy John surgery has complicated the Marlins’ plans. Even accounting for Wednesday's outing, his ERA is a hideous 6.66 with a 4.48 FIP that's the worst mark since his rookie campaign. 

If this was indeed his final home start in a Marlins uniform, Alcantara reflected on his time in Miami with gratitude.

“I’m just a guy who loved to take advantage of the opportunity,” he said. “I like to learn and compete—and if the fans want to remember me as ‘El Caballo,’ I’ll take it.”

According to sources, the Marlins are open to moving nearly anyone not named Eury Pérez, Kyle Stowers or Agustín Ramírez. Among those most likely to be dealt: reliever Anthony Bender, catcher Nick Fortes and outfielder Jesús Sánchez. Starting pitchers Alcantara and Edward Cabrera remain 50/50 candidates, per club sources.

The Marlins are off Thursday before beginning a three-game weekend series in Milwaukee against the Brewers.

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[Shawn]

If that’s the version of Sandy moving forward I pray he’s not traded. 12:10 start today had 15 thousand fans in the stands keep these guys together. There 5 under and the hottest team in baseball. I say trade Jesus, and fortes try to get a 3rd baseman out of it graham not the answer over there. They sell Sandy and cabby you count on attendance dropping and there’s nobody ready to replace them in the rotation. Even if you don’t make the playoffs this year run it back next year when weathers, Garrett, and Myers is back then see what you can get for Sandy and cabby over the winter. 

[Hans Herrera]

13 hours ago, Shawn said:

If that’s the version of Sandy moving forward I pray he’s not traded. 12:10 start today had 15 thousand fans in the stands keep these guys together. There 5 under and the hottest team in baseball. I say trade Jesus, and fortes try to get a 3rd baseman out of it graham not the answer over there. They sell Sandy and cabby you count on attendance dropping and there’s nobody ready to replace them in the rotation. Even if you don’t make the playoffs this year run it back next year when weathers, Garrett, and Myers is back then see what you can get for Sandy and cabby over the winter. 

Couldn't agree more with you.

[Hans Herrera]

I'd trade Bender and Faucher, just as last year they traded Hoeing and Scott. I understand it won't be the same return, but still important. My moves:

1. Bender & Faucher to NYM for Mauricio.
 OR the same two arms for Freeland (LAD)
 OR same two for Hao-Yu Lee (DET)
 OR same two for Stevens (LAA)
2. Fortes to SD or SF for any low-to-mid ranked prospect, whoever gives me the best return
3. Trade away Jeezy or Myers if the return involves a top prospect.

Call-ups after the trades:
1. Soriano and Tarnok/Rooney. Henríquez takes over as closer, with Bachar and Simpson as SUs.
2. Joe Mack
3. Any from Marsee, DLS, Mesa Jr., or Troy Johnston... depending on who was traded.

 

Call it a season.