Sandy Alcantara doesn’t want to finish his career anywhere but with the Miami Marlins, but how he exits the game may be radically different from what we have seen from the veteran pitcher so far.

Alcantara, 31, is the ace of the South Florida staff, but he was seen in a different role on a few occasions in 2026 --- finishing off games. The Dominican native moved into Miami's bullpen during the final stretch of the season after leading the majors in innings. The results were impressive. He entered three games in relief and converted all three save opportunities, including Sunday's season finale against Atlanta.

For a while now, the Marlins have counted on one of the greatest pitchers in the organization's history to be the anchor of the five-man starting rotation. And for good reason, even in a season where his club went 82-80 and failed to make the playoffs, Alcantara had a great season. He was 13-11, with a 3.87 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP across 36 appearances, including 33 starts. His 21 quality starts tied for third overall in Major League Baseball.

He will remain in his current role for the immediate future. But at some point near the end of his amazing run, even Alcantara himself can envision himself closing more games in the future..

"I have three saves in a row; that means a lot to me," Alcantara told the media after he registered the season's final out. "I just want to do whatever to help this team win."

He also stated explicitly that his decision to start pitching from the 'pen was his, not management's. He volunteered to help shore up the depleted relief corps.

There's a major factor at play regarding this move: preservation. Alcantara could add a couple more years to his arm by limiting his innings. The most effective way to do that while still getting maximum value for his talent would be to convert him into a dominant closer. It would be very similar to the move that former starting ace John Smoltz made for the Atlanta Braves; he had been a frontline starter his entire life before becoming one of the game's best relievers.

Alcantara missed the entire 2024 season following Tommy John surgery. His return in 2025 wasn't an absolute failure, but he didn't look like the same pitcher, finishing with a 5.36 ERA. But this season, he turned it around. He had more stamina and more consistency, falling in line with the form that won him the 2022 National League Cy Young Award.

It appears that any future change will be Miami's call, Alcantara, who has a team option for 2027, wants to stay with the Fish. That could work into a long-term deal that sees the team gradually move him into a back-of-the-bullpen role.

Whatever lies ahead, Alcantara has made his intentions clear. Having already established himself as one of the defining pitchers of this modern Marlins era, he's not ready to say goodbye - and for Miami? That's a real relief.