Marlins Opening Day the start of a crucial season for Sandy Alcantara

No Miami Marlins pitcher has started on Opening Day as often as Sandy Alcantara.

The first prized prospect netted in the Bruce Sherman ownership era, Alcantara made his big league debut in 2018 and he has been the ace of the Fighting Fish ever since, with two playoff appearances and a Cy Young award to his name.

Alcantara started the all-so crucial 2026 season with a strikeout. He finished his sixth Opening Day start with a seven-inning gem allowing no earned runs on four hits, two walks, and five strikeouts in a Marlins 2-1 win over the Colorado Rockies.

“We know this is a long season,” Alcantara said, “and it’s better when you start winning.”

It was the type of performance that had first baseman Connor Norby proclaiming it as “vintage Sandy” during his postgame interview.

“Everything was working today,” Alcantara said. “Put a lot of sweeper in today and we’ve got to see the result.”

That sweeper is what has the Marlins confident in the 30-year-old’s chances of returning to his peak form. After returning from Tommy John surgery and struggling through the first half of 2025, Alcantara went 7-3 with a 3.33 ERA in 13 starts, signaling a potential return to greatness this year.

“He’s building on that this year by adding a new pitch, adding a sweeper,” Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said. “His changeup is even better than before. It’s really the version of Sandy from a few years ago.”

Alcantara is in the final year of a five-year, $56M extension he signed in 2022, just before he won the 2022 Cy Young (2.28 ERA, 8.0 WAR, 228.2 IP, 207K). His contract also contains a team option for 2027, which has given the ace a lot of trade value.

However, Alcantara is more valuable to a Marlins team that is gearing up for a potential playoff push.

“Sandy’s really important to this organization,” Bendix said, “the things that he’s accomplished here, what he means to this organization. We know that and I think he’s proud of that. We’re proud of that.

Miami won 79 games last year with ascending talent and when the Marlins were at their best, so was Sandy. Should he and Eury Perez, who starts on Saturday, reach their potential this year, this young Marlins team could be positioned to compete for the postseason.

“I think this year could be maybe the best year yet for Sandy,” Bendix said.