Sandy Alcantara, the Miami Marlins’ ace and former National League Cy Young Award winner, is working to find his form again after a lengthy recovery from Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for all of 2024. Making his comeback in 2025, Alcantara has shown flashes of his old self but has struggled in recent outings, including a rough start against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday. He lasted only two innings, giving up six earned runs on four hits, with two walks and just one strikeout. His ERA has now ballooned to 7.27, despite a 2-1 win-loss record.
After the game, Alcantara expressed his frustration, saying he needs to return to his dominant form and get back into rhythm. Though his velocity remains strong—reaching over 99 mph—his performance hasn’t matched the speed. In his first two starts of the season, Alcantara looked promising, giving up only four runs across 9.2 innings. However, his last two appearances have seen a sharp decline, surrendering 10 runs in just 7.2 innings combined.
Despite his recent struggles, Alcantara has maintained good control on the mound, often getting ahead in counts. However, he hasn’t been able to finish off batters efficiently, as seen in Friday’s 61-pitch, two-inning outing—his second-shortest start in eight MLB seasons.
As the season progresses, Alcantara is viewed as one of the most desirable trade targets for teams seeking starting pitching help. Yet, the Marlins haven’t made a decision on whether they’ll move him. Given Alcantara’s hefty salary and the franchise’s history of trading away top talent in favor of rebuilding with prospects, there’s speculation that he may be dealt before the season ends.
The Marlins, who have made the playoffs just twice in the past 21 seasons, are in the midst of another challenging campaign. Whether Alcantara remains with the team much longer may depend on both his recovery and the organization’s long-term strategy.
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