Sandy Alcantara, the 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner, is on the mound tonight in Houston for what feels like his final audition as a Marlin. Miami’s front office motivations have clearly shifted after an MLB-high eight-game losing streak.
The Marlins’ Absolute Meltdown
This Marlins team was on fire just a couple weeks ago. Remember July 10? They were riding a season-high six-game winning streak, sitting 10 games over .500, and were legitimately in the mix for the NL East title and a wild card spot. National MLB scribes like Ken Rosenthal were even reporting they’d keep Alcantara. But holy smokes, what a difference a couple of weeks makes. They haven’t won a single game since, cratering into an eight-game losing streak. That dream of an NL East title? Yeah, you can forget that now. Even tied for the last NL wild card spot, the SportsLine Projection Model gives them only an 18.9% shot at the playoffs. DraftKings pegs them at +370, which is just 21.3%. It’s a full-on collapse.
Alcantara’s Tough Spot and Sky-High Value
So, why trade your ace, even when you’re technically still in the wild card hunt? It all boils down to money, of course, because it’s the penny-pinching Marlins. Alcantara is owed $21 million next season if they pick up his club option, then he’s set for free agency in 2027. He’s also already established his value, especially after coming back from Tommy John surgery that cost him all of 2024. This 30-year-old isn’t putting up 2022 Cy Young numbers this year, carrying a 10-5 record with a 3.89 ERA, but he’s an absolute workhorse, leading the majors with 162.2 innings pitched. He’s the perfect #2 or #3 starter for a championship club. Think Yankees. Think Dodgers.
The dude’s been a tough luck pitcher lately. After a seven-start streak where he bagged a win in each, he’s winless in his last two outings. Both were quality starts, mind you, but he got absolutely no run support. This season, when the Marlins score 0-2 runs for him in a game, he’s a dismal 1-4 with a 5.15 ERA in six starts. If they manage 3-5 runs, he’s 1-1 with a 3.51 ERA in five starts. But when the bats actually show up and score more than six runs? He’s a dominant 8-0 with a 3.38 ERA in 10 starts. The problem isn’t always Alcantara; it’s the team around him.
Tonight’s 8:10 ET first pitch in Houston isn’t just another game for Sandy Alcantara. It’s potentially his last dance in a Marlins uniform. Every pitch he throws, every out he gets, is an audition. The stakes are huge for his future, and for a Marlins team that looks ready to throw in the towel on a season that was just recently full of hope.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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