Marlins’ Alcantara Defies Trend as True Workhorse Starter

In an era of five-and-dive starters, Sandy Alcantara continues to prove to be the complete opposite of a typical old-school workhorse while showing his true value every time he takes the mound.

The five-and-dive starters are starters that go about five innings, then hand the game over to the bullpen. That approach has become a staple in this era, with teams prioritizing pitch counts, fatigue, and matchups over starters going deep into games. 

Alcantara continues to stand as one of the few exceptions, taking the mound with the mindset that he’s not giving the ball up until the game is complete.

“I’m a pitcher who wants to be out there,” Alcantara said. “I want to go deep.”

Alcantara took the mound Sunday afternoon after the bullpen was taxed on both Friday and Saturday and needed to give his guys a break. And that’s exactly what he did, going 7 strong, giving up 1 earned run on 5 hits, throwing 90 pitches, 58 for strikes.

Not every team has the Luxury of a workhorse starter who takes the mound intending to pitch deep into the game; it's something the bullpen should appreciate. This season, Alcantara led the majors in innings pitched with 89.1, just ahead of Christopher Sanchez of the Philadelphia Phillies with 86.1.

Heading into Sunday, Alcantara knew a deep start was needed, acknowledging that this is the reason they have him. 

“I wanted to go deep in the game and give the bullpen some rest,” Alcantara said.

Alcantara didn’t just give the pen time to recover; he allowed his team to take another series. And that’s exactly what the team did with a 4–1 win, taking two of three from the Tampa Bay Rays. The win extends the Miami Marlins’ strong start to June, having won five of their first six games this month.

With the win, the Marlins stay in contention, moving them to within 3.5 games of a Wild Card spot. And with trade rumors expected to intensify as the deadline approaches, staying in the playoff race could help quiet the speculation surrounding Alcantara's future.

Earlier in the season, when trade rumors surrounding Alcantara started to heat up, Ken Rosenthal pointed out that a deal is not certain, saying, “Is Sandy a goner? Maybe not, and as long as the team remains in contention, a trade of Alcantara would send the wrong message.”

The rumors growing quiet would likely be music to Alcantara's ears, after saying, "Hopefully I can stay healthy for many more years and do it with this organization."

After the win, Alcantara was asked about Joe Mack's performance and complimented the young catcher for his defense. However, he didn't stop there; he also expressed hope that the Marlins not only keep Mack around but also “get to keep competing together." The statement sounds like a player who wants to stay in Miami.

It appears Alcantara, the former Cy Young winner, is exactly where he wants to be, a leader in the Marlins' rotation and helping keep the club in the playoff race. 

And if Miami continues to win, the early trade speculation that surrounded the Marlins as sellers while guessing what that could get for the starter could quickly shift to discussions about what they might be looking to add at the deadline to help him out.

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