The Miami ace caps off a solid year by being recognized by the team and BBWAA
Despite the fact that the Miami Marlins didn't qualify for the postseason, pitcher Sandy Alcantara certainly had a terrific year.
While he won't win the National League Cy Young Award, the 31-year-old righthander has been to the top of the mountain before. He won the honor of being named the league's best pitcher in 2022. But this weekend, he received a very different (and special) accolade from the franchise.
The two-time All-Star was honored with the Jeff Conine Heart and Professionalism Award, given annually to the Miami player who best exemplifies the qualities of the man known as 'Mr. Marlin'. Coincidentally, Alcantara is now teammates with Conine's son, Griffin, who has followed in his father's footsteps and dons the team colors as well.
The official definition of the accolade is the Marlin who is known for playing with dedication and professionalism. Those were pillars of the career of Conine, who played 18 seasons in the big leagues, including two separate stints in South Florida. He was a member of both World Series Champions in team history and was the first player inducted into the Marlins Legends Hall of Fame. The righthanded hitter retired with a .285 career batting average, 214 home runs, and 1,071 RBI in his career.
The Award is voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America members who cover the club, and it was an honor that the hurler definitely deserved --- especially considering the arm issues that he has overcome.
It definitely took a lot of heart for Alcantara to bounce back after he had Tommy John Surgery and missed the entire 2024 season. He had some success in 2025, going 11-12, but he didn't really round back into form until this season, and there were a number of notable highs for the ace.
Alcantara went 13-11, with a 3.87 ERA and 153 strikeouts. Oddly, he also recorded three saves in three opportunities in 2026, but the most important number of all suggests his arm is back to full strength: He led all of Major League Baseball in innings pitched, with 214. That bodes well for the future as the Fish try to put a winning team around him.
Alcantara is certainly beloved by fans in the area, and he's the team's unofficial leader. And on paper, he will enter 2027 with an outside shot at becoming the organization's all-time leader in wins. With 65 victories, he trails only Dontrelle Willis (68 wins) and Ricky Nolasco (81).
