Alcantara ‘can’t wait to get out there’ tonight
MIAMI — Across the last six months, Sandy Alcantara has lived in the spotlight of being the Marlins’ top pitching prospect. He’s been hyped as the newest jewel of Miami’s rebuilt farm system. Discussion about his timeline to the majors swirled.
On Friday night, Alcantara can let his pitching do the talking. The 22-year-old Dominican right-hander will make his first major league start and his first appearance as a Marlin against the Mets. Alcantara made 14 starts with Triple-A New Orleans this season, posting a 3.71 ERA.
“I’m super happy,” Alcantara said through a translator. “I can’t wait to get out there tomorrow and take the mound for the first time.”
Alcantara made his major league debut last season for the Cardinals, but only pitched in eight relief appearances. The Marlins acquired him in the trade that sent outfielder Marcell Ozuna to St. Louis.
He is ranked as the team’s No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline behind outfielder Monte Harrison. The Marlins optioned right-handed reliever Nick Wittgren to Triple-A New Orleans after Thursday’s game to make room for Alcantara.
“It’s going to feel a little bit different just because I’m with a different club, different ballpark,” Alcantara said. “At the same time, it’s still the same plan, same game.”
Marlins manager Don Mattingly said Alcantara would not be on any sort of pitch count or restrictions Friday night. He’s maxed out at 110 pitches, but Alcantara said he’s been trying to limit his pitch count to get deeper into games.
“The one thing to keep in mind with Sandy is just to temper expectations,” Mattingly said. “There’s still room for growth. There are still areas that we feel like he can improve on. It’ll be good to see him do that here, but without the expectation that he’s going to come out and dominate. Maybe he does, but I think we should expect there will be some bumps in the road for him and that there will be growth with that.”
Alcantara’s potential stems from a fastball that sits between 96 and 99, a two-seamer with movement and offspeed offerings like his changeup and slider. But Mattingly described Alcantara as a pitcher with room to learn the finer points of the game: how to sequence pitches, how to hold runners, how to remain composed with runners on base.
Still, the talent is there. “He’s got all the weapons,” Mattingly said.
In New Orleans, Alcantara was steady but not dominant, finishing at least five innings in his last 12 starts, turning in walk-free performances just twice and not eclipsing seven strikeouts since his first start of the season on April 7.
Alcantara said he’s improved his command since the start of the season, and is averaging 3.6 walks per nine innings.
Mattingly said Alcantara’s chemistry with the Marlins’ catcher (J.T. Realmuto is expected to return from a left wrist bruise tonight) will be essential in his first major league start.
“You don’t quite know Sandy and what he’s confident in,” Mattingly said. “Sometimes a young guy will just throw what you put down and he doesn’t necessarily want to throw that. I think it’s something that will be a little bit of a learning curve with Sandy and what he’s comfortable with.”
The Marlins could debut another member of their rotation of the future Saturday against the Mets should right-hander Pablo Lopez make a start in Dan Straily’s place. Lopez has a 2.17 ERA in 12 total starts with Double-A Jacksonville and Triple-A New Orleans.
mdefranks@ sun-sentinel.com; On Twitter @MDeFranks.