Sandy Alcantara named Opening Day starter for 5th time in his career

JUPITER, FL—After missing all of 2024 while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, Sandy Alcantara is back in a familiar role. The Miami Marlins named him their Opening Day starter on Thursday. It will be the fifth time that Alcantara has started a Marlins season opener, which extends his franchise record.

"Sandy was excited," said manager Clayton McCullough after sharing the news with the media. "Its been a long journey after coming back last year. He was really excited with a smile on his face and to get that news. Organizationally, we are very excited and the fanbase of Miami will be excited to see Sandy take the hill for us Opening Day."

One of McCullough's first managerial decisions could be the easiest one he will ever have to make. Alcantara was unanimously voted the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner. Despite an inconsistent 2023 season, he was still on pace to surpass 200 innings for the third straight year. The veteran right-hander previously made four consecutive Opening Day starts from 2020-2023 (the Marlins had a 1-3 record in those games).

With Eury Pérez continuing to rehab from his own Tommy John, Jesús Luzardo traded to the Philadelphia Phillies during the offseason and newly signed starter Cal Quantrill still needing to re-establish himself as a reliable arm, there weren't other strong alternatives.

"It wasn't that tough," said McCullough. "I think Sandy was an easy one for us. Very happy for him for all the hard work he's put in and now be able to get himself back in position for that." 

The Marlins will host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, March 27 at 4:10 p.m. Although the Pirates have yet to announce their Opening Day starter, the decision for manager Derek Shelton should be obvious: reigning National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes.

"That's a nice potential Opening Day matchup," McCullough said. "We'll bet on our guy, but for baseball, you would like to have your better players, your star players back out there, which is good for the game and certainly good for our fans."