Boos erupt as Alcantara exits, igniting fan frustration over a tough loss despite his stellar performance. Passionate crowds demand wins.
MIAMI — Historically, the crowd at loanDepot Park expresses more apathy than anger when the Miami Marlins lose a game.
This time around, the decision to pull the ace with a complete game still attainable prompted boos from the crowd of over 8,000, sounding like 10,000 more were in attendance. With a second consecutive complete-game shutout close at hand, Marlins manager Clayton McCullough opted to get the final two outs with the use of his bullpen.
It resulted in the Reds winning 6-3 in extra innings. Rather than besmirch the fans during his postgame press conference, McCullough took the fans making their presence known in stride.
“We have passionate fans and they care about it. They’re certainly very invested in us winning games. That’s their right certainly to voice their approval when things go well,” McCullough said. “I love our fans, the passion that they come and bring so it’s certainly well within their right to not be pleased if things don’t go our way.”
It’s typically a sore spot nationally when the baseball team in Miami is discussed, especially coming off a World Baseball Classic that proved the existence of a rabid baseball fanbase. Ironically, Alcantara mentioned the lack of fans during his previous outing. The former Cy Young winner pitched on a nearly packed opening-day crowd and saw that number drop to nearly over 6,000 in his second start.
His third start saw a 2,000-plus bump in attendance, and they were there for him throughout his outing. After 8.1 innings pitched, Alcantara walked back to the dugout facing an appreciative section of spectators chanting his name.
“It feels good,” Alcantara said after the game. “I saw a man holding a sign saying ‘Sandy, we love you.’ So that made me happy. We just got to see more of those out there.”
However many go to the games, whether it’s 6,000 in the middle of the week or 17,000 on Sunday when the Marlins wear the beloved teal jerseys, the fans there are engaged. Miami sports fans will go anywhere to watch a winner.
They’ll drive up I-95 to watch the MLS Cup champions, as well as near the Miami airport. They’ll go deep into Sunrise to see the defending Stanley Cup champions. They’ll figure out how to park in downtown Miami to see a basketball team that won three championships, competed for four more, and featured some of the best professional athletes of all time. They’ll go to Little Havana, the original site of the famed Orange Bowl, when the Marlins start winning.
2026 is one of the few years when there is a belief that the Marlins will compete for a playoff spot. With expectations and beliefs come scrutiny, especially when the questionable decisions from the manager can be pinpointed -- from pulling Alcantara in the ninth inning, or keeping Janson Junk on the mound in the eighth, or insisting on batting Austin Slater leadoff against left-handed pitching.
The fans are clearly watching now, and the Marlins are going to hear it now with every result, good or bad.
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