Sandy Alcantara hurls seven scoreless vs. Phillies

The Marlins desperately needed Alcantara to be their stopper following eight straight losses sandwiched around the All-Star break. He did not get off to a great start after letting up two runs, four hits, and six hard-hit balls in the first three innings. Then, he settled in through the middle inning retiring 11 of 13 batters from the fourth through seventh innings. It seemed like his night was over then after seven strong innings and 97 pitches, but he came back out for the eighth, let up an infield single to Jeremy Peña, and then back-to-back home runs by Yordan Alvarez and Isaac Paredes. That final flurry ruined his final line and wound up sending the Marlins to their ninth straight loss as their season has hit an untimely tailspin. Perhaps this skid will put Alcantara back on the table in trade talks. Otherwise, he’s lined up for a two-start week coming up against the Phillies at home and Mets on the road.

This version of Alcantara is a total bulldog. Sure, he’s not missing bats at a prolific rate anymore and his command in this start was pretty all over the place. Yet, he never gave an inch. The Brewers very rarely squared him up and had 19 total foul balls while Alcantara continued to pepper them with sinkers, four-seamers, and cutters. Also a lost art in this day and age, Alcantara has now at least pitched into the sixth inning in 13 consecutive starts dating back to early May. He’ll take a 3.90 ERA, 107 strikeouts, and 37 walks through a league-leading 136 2/3 innings into his next start against the Astros in Houston.

The Marlins will open the second half with Alcantara on Friday, Max Meyer on Saturday, and Eury Pérez on Sunday. No major surprises here as these are the three main starters for the Marlins. All three of them are worthy starters in 12-team leagues coming out of the break.

Alcantara struck out eight batters in the ballgame and didn’t allow a single base on balls. He cruised through the first three innings unscathed, but Chase DeLauter got him for a two-run blast in the fourth inning and the Guardians scratched out an additional run in the fifth that ultimately did him in. He got 13 swings and misses on 99 pitches in the game — six on his cutter — while posting a CSW of 32 percent. He finishes the first half of the season with a 10-5 record, 3.99 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and a 100/33 K/BB ratio over 130 2/3 innings through his first 20 starts.

It makes sense since the Marlins are in the midst of a 26-8 stretch that has put them right back into the thick of the playoff race. In his last seven starts, Alcantara has a 2.98 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and a 20.6 percent strikeout rate. He’s clearly been a great starter for the Marlins and, even with his limited strikeout rate, has been a useful pitcher in fantasy leagues as well. It seems like his fantasy value going forward won’t be impacted by a new team.

A vintage Alcantara outing, and it’s the third time in eight outings that the 30-year-old has been able to complete eight innings. He scattered six hits allowed in the contest while throwing 70-of-100 pitches for strikes, and he was able to pick up eight strikeouts against a solo free pass. There’s been some trade discussions involving Alcantara — there seems to have been trade discussions with him his entire professional career — but with how hot the Marlins have been, they’re probably better off keeping him. His final start before the All-Star break comes against the Guardians on Friday, if there’s no change to the rotation order.

There could have been more runs, but Alcantara benefitted from Hunter Goodman getting caught stealing home in the third, a line drive double play in the fourth and then Michael Petersen stranding two runners after replacing him in the sixth. The win makes Alcantara a perfect 6-0 in June, even though his 3.35 ERA was more good than great. Back in 2021, he had a season in which he posted a 3.19 ERA in 33 starts and wound up 9-15. Alcantara will go from Coors Field tonight to perhaps the game’s next friendliest ballpark for hitters in Sacramento in his start Saturday against the A’s.

Alcantara gave up five hits, walked three and struck out four. He improved to 8-4 with the win. Alcantara had a 4.66 ERA in 12 starts through the month of May, but has a 2.60 ERA in five starts in June. Alcantara is lined up to face the Rockies on the road next week.

Alcantara struck out six and walked one to improve to 7-4 on the year. The performance pushes him ahead of Cristopher Sánchez for the most innings (103.1) in MLB this season. It has been an up-and-down ride as his ERA sits at 4.18. Alcantara won the 2022 NL Cy Young Award with a 2.28 mark, but it has been above 4.00 in every healthy season since. He’ll take on the Rangers at home in his next scheduled matchup.

Strong work from the veteran in lowering his ERA to 4.25. Alcantara did allow a pair of solo homers — one to Endy Rodríguez and another to Brandon Lowe late as the score was out of hand — but continued to pump gas as he averaged 98.1 mph on the fastball. The whiff rates continue to be pretty low and batters simply aren’t chasing anything against him anymore, but Alcantara gives the Marlins length and should be in line for plenty of wins if the Marlins can put up runs like this. He’ll get a matchup against the Phillies next week.