Does Sandy Alcantara have a future in Miami beyond 2027?

Sandy Alcantara will go down as one of the best, if not the best pitcher in Miami Marlins franchise history. He became their first National League Cy Young winner in 2022 and has since set franchise records for career innings pitched, starts and strikeouts.

Alcantara has also been receptive to change. The Marlins have operated much differently since Peter Bendix took over as president of baseball operations three years ago. Traditional bullpen sessions have been replaced by "pitch design" sessions and pitch calls are now being relayed from the dugout. Then, during the final month of the 2026 season, he was used as Miami's closer on three separate occasions, nearly nine years removed from the last time he came out of the bullpen as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. Alcantara has put his trust in the organization and their process, regardless of the results.

Overall, Alcantara had a successful season, leading Major League Baseball with 214 innings pitched. His 3.87 ERA and 4.08 FIP were close to his career averages, though he also had a career-low 6.43 K/9.

"He is so meaningful to this organization and that's not lost on me," Bendix said about the right-hander during Tuesday's press conference. "Another incredible season. Really fun to watch him pitch, his leadership in the clubhouse, the way he handles himself and the way he sets an example for the rest of the team."

Now, will Bendix put his words into action and commit to Alcantara long term?

It's been nearly five years since the last time that the Marlins have handed out a contract extension to any of their players. There is some urgency in Alcantara's case because he has a $21 million club option for the 2027 season and will then be eligible for free agency. Bendix wouldn't even confirm that his option will be exercised, but that is considered a lock.

"We will be here if that is what God wants," Alcantara said following Sunday's season finale. "That is also if the organization gives me an opportunity to continue playing here not just for the 2027 season, but for the remainder of the my career. I am always going to be grateful for this organization and I hope that in 2027 it will be a very different year for everyone in here and the organization."

Bendix has already announced that Clayton McCullough will remain Miami's manager. There is little doubt that having Alcantara anchoring the starting rotation would make McCullough's job easier.

"It's hard to fully state the value that Sandy has," Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. "He's earned to be the face of this franchise. There were times when we were getting very creative with what we were doing with the pitching, especially in the summer months, and Sandy's ability to go deep into games and cover a lot of innings provided me a lot of flexibility and optionality in some of those other days...Going into 2027, we'll very much continue to count on Sandy to be able to provide us real high-quality length."

Marlins chairman and principal owner Bruce Sherman has been with Alcantara throughout his entire tenure with the franchise. Sherman is not one to meddle in baseball operations moves, but he has voiced a strong preference for holding onto Alcantara even as other teams have inquired about trading for him through the years.

"Sandy is special," Sherman told Fish On First earlier this season. "I made those comments with a lot of thought in them. We understand all the economics and Sandy is special. He believes in this organization a lot on the field and off the field. Just look at what Sandy has done. I flew with him to the Dominican Republic. He's a mentor to Eury (Pérez) and to young pitchers. He's a leader. We need that kind of presence in the clubhouse and we need that kind of person."

It may be tempting for Alcantara to let his current contract play out and test free agency for the first time at age 32. On the other hand, when you have spent almost your entire career with the same organization and have mutual respect for each other, that lays the groundwork for a new deal.

Since Alcantara's last extension kicked in, he has posted a 3.80 ERA in 802 innings pitched. During that span, his production is very comparable to Luis Castillo, Merrill Kelly and Seth Lugo, who each made between $20-25M in salary this past season. A deal of four to five years with an average annual value in that range feels appropriate.

Regardless of what happens, Alcantara will most likely take the mound as the Marlins Opening Day starter in 2027, whenever that may be. Fans will be locked in for another season of "El Caballo," but extending the franchise icon beforehand would ramp up their excitement to a whole new level.