Sandy Alcantara named 2026 Marlins Opening Day starter

[Ely Sussman]

Miami Marlins manager Clayton McCullough informed right-hander Sandy Alcantara on Friday morning that he will be the club's Opening Day starter again in 2026. The Marlins will host the Colorado Rockies at loanDepot park on March 26. 

Alcantara has been on the mound for Opening Day in each of the last seven seasons with the exception of 2024, which he missed while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. He already held the franchise record with five career Opening Day starts; health permitting, he will do it for the sixth time exactly six weeks from now.

The Marlins released a video of McCullough in his Jupiter Academy office delivering the news to Alcantara. In response, the 30-year-old said he is "super excited about another opportunity to be on the mound for the Marlins. I'm very happy."

 

The Marlins have a 2-3 record in Alcantara's previous Opening Day starts. Most recently against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2025, he carried a shutout into the fifth inning and received a no-decision in what was ultimately a walk-off win.

Player	Date	Team		Opp	Result	IP	H	R	ER	UER	HR	BB	IBB	SO	HBP	BK	WP	BF
Sandy Alcantara	2020-07-24	MIA	@	PHI	W, 5-2	6.2	3	2	1	1	1	2	0	7	0	0	0	24
Sandy Alcantara	2021-04-01	MIA		TBR	L, 0-1	6.0	2	0	0	0	0	2	0	7	1	0	0	23
Sandy Alcantara	2022-04-08	MIA	@	SFG	L, 5-6 (10)	5.0	3	3	2	1	1	5	0	4	0	0	0	21
Sandy Alcantara	2023-03-30	MIA		NYM	L, 3-5	5.2	3	3	3	0	0	4	0	2	0	0	0	23
Sandy Alcantara	2025-03-27	MIA		PIT	W, 5-4	4.2	2	2	2	0	0	4	0	7	0	0	0	20

 

 

Colorado's projected rotation consists of Kyle Freeland, Michael Lorenzen, José Quintana, Chase Dollander and Tomoyuki Sugano. Freeland, like Alcantara, is a longtime member of his organization who despite coming off an uneven 2025 season—4.98 ERA and 4.18 FIP in 162 ⅔ innings pitched—would be the logical candidate to start their season opener. The left-hander has handled that assignment four previous times in his career.

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