Alcantara set as starter for Opening Day; rewarded for ongoing effort
Sandy Alcantara was the Marlins’ lone All-Star as a rookie in 2019. In 2020, he’ll be their Opening Day starter for the first time.
Manager Don Mattingly made the announcement Tuesday on “Line Drive,” the team’s in-house YouTube show. The right-hander will take the mound July 24 when the Marlins open the season against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
“I think that’s the biggest thing in my life, being the Opening Day starter. I feel great about that,” Alcantara said. “I’m ready. I’m ready all the time. Everybody knows that. Opening Day could come tomorrow and I’m ready to go.”
In his first full season in the majors, Alcantara went 6-14 with a 3.88 ERA, 151 strikeouts and 81 walks. The native of the Dominican Republic also led MLB with two complete-game shutouts. His ERA led the team, as did his 1971⁄3 innings pitched. He was the Marlins’ only starting pitcher with an ERA better than 4.00 in 2019, and he was at his best down the stretch.
In August and September, Alcantara posted a 2.78 ERA and held opponents to a .207 batting average in 741⁄3 innings.
“A lot of the conversations we’ve had over the last couple of years he’s taken to heart,” Mattingly said. “This guy’s work is way better, his attention to detail. Every time he throws a bullpen, he’s paying attention to every pitch and what it does. He’s in great shape and we feel like he’s earned this, the way he pitched late last year to all the work that he’s done. He’s backed up everything he says he wants to be and so we’re pretty comfortable giving the ball to Sandy.”
Mattingly said the decision came about through conversations with pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. and general manager Michael Hill. Alcantara, who came to Miami from the St. Louis Cardinals in 2018 as the centerpiece of the Marcell Ozuna trade, has the physical makeup to be an ace in the major leagues, and the Marlins hope he’ll take another step forward in 2020 after a promising rookie season.
“You know what it’s like to be a young pitcher to come up, and you question whether you belong here and get out of that survival mode. Sandy has always been kind of searching for that, and we’re really ready for him to take a leap forward,” Stottlemyre said.
“I’m not a manager, and I can only imagine what it feels like to pencil your guy in every five days knowing what you’re going to get out of that guy. I think we’re really getting close to knowing what Sandy is going to give us.”
Ten days before Opening Day, Alcantara started another simulated game Tuesday in Miami. He pitched all five innings, allowing two runs — one earned — on five hits with three strikeouts and a walk at Marlins Park.
Alcantara also faced three more batters after the simulated game ended in a 2-2 tie.
CERVELLI ON COVID CONCERNS
Miami-Dade County has become an epicenters of the COVID-19 pandemic in July, and catcher Francisco Cervelli is willing to admit it’s a little alarming.
Although the Marlins haven’t had their training camp disrupted by the coronavirus, the threat of the virus looms over everything Miami does right now as case counts climb and hospitals across South Florida get close to maximum capacity.
“This is not a secret: Everybody is concerned,” Cervelli said. “I don’t want to have this virus or anyone on my team. We just have to be careful, man. We don’t know what’s going to happen.
Every day here in Miami, it’s getting crazy, but I don’t know. Am I little scared? Yes, but we’re here to play baseball. That’s it.
“The only thing I can control is myself and I think we make a promise here on the team that we’re going to take care of each other. It’s a little weird because baseball is more than just playing on the field.
“Baseball is what we do outside together with a little bit of everything. Right now, it’s sort of an office job, so I have to do my part, take care of myself, take care of my teammates, and MLB does the rest. I don’t know if they’re going to do what they say. So far it’s been good and, like I said, I have to do my part.”