Gather around because we’ve got a Major League Baseball comeback story brewing down in Miami. Sandy Alcántara, the Marlins’ ace, finally took the mound again after a long, grueling recovery from Tommy John surgery.
Let me tell you—if there was any rust, it sure wasn’t showing.
Alcántara Comes Out Firing
Sunday afternoon in the Grapefruit League, Alcántara stepped onto the hill against the New York Mets, marking his first game action since September 2023.
Now, most pitchers coming off major elbow surgery ease their way back in, maybe flirt with the low-to-mid 90s, work on their command, and try not to overthrow.
But Sandy? Not at all. His first pitch back was 97.8 miles per hour. Next one? 99. A few batters later? A 99.1 mph sinker, just for good measure.
He wasn’t just lighting up the radar gun—he mixed in a 91.2 mph changeup and an 89.3 mph slider as well.
It wasn’t just the velocity, though. Alcántara looked sharp. He worked his way through the first inning, allowing just one single, no walks, and no runs.
The highlight? An eight-pitch battle against Jose Siri ended with a swinging strikeout. That’s vintage Sandy right there.
Miami’s Ace Is Ready for Opening Day
The Marlins didn’t need to see much more to know what they already suspected: their ace is back.
They had already named Alcántara their Opening Day starter earlier this month, but this start confirmed that decision wasn’t just wishful thinking.
Let’s not forget this guy is a two-time All-Star and the 2022 NL Cy Young winner. That year, he was a machine—leading the league in WAR, complete games, shutouts, innings pitched, and batters faced.
When he’s on, he’s the kind of pitcher who doesn’t just dominate—he devours innings and gives his bullpen a night off.
The Marlins’ Biggest Investment
For his career, Alcántara sports a 3.32 ERA, a 1.157 WHIP, and a 20.3 WAR while racking up more innings than anyone in the National League between 2019 and 2023.
And let’s talk dollars for a second—the Marlins are paying him $17.3 million this season, a price tag that towers over everyone else on their payroll.
The next highest-paid player? Just $4.5 million. That tells you everything you need to know about how much Miami values their ace.
If Alcántara keeps building off this performance, Opening Day should be must-watch baseball in Miami.
The road back from Tommy John is long and unforgiving, but if Sunday was any indication, Sandy Alcántara isn’t just back—he’s ready to dominate once again.
