{"id":198821,"date":"2025-07-24T06:23:16","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T06:23:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/198821\/"},"modified":"2025-07-24T06:23:16","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T06:23:16","slug":"sandy-shines-in-possible-farewell-start-miami-marlins-talk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/198821\/","title":{"rendered":"Sandy shines in possible farewell start – Miami Marlins Talk"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tMIAMI\u2014In what may have been his final home start as a Miami Marlin, Sandy Alcantara<\/a> delivered his best outing of the season on Wednesday afternoon. Behind their longtime ace, the Marlins edged the Padres, 3\u20132, to secure both the game and the series. Miami has now won both series since the All-Star break and seven of its last nine overall.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cVery, very happy with how we came out of the break,\u201d said manager Clayton McCullough. \u201cFinished the first half strong in Baltimore, and to win both series here at home was very important.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Marlins gave Alcantara some early cushion. With two on and two out in the first, rookie Agust\u00edn Ram\u00edrez ripped a 104.9 mph line drive into center field to put Miami on the board. It marked Ram\u00edrez\u2019s 45th RBI of the season, most among National League rookies.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter allowing 22 earned runs over his previous four starts, the Marlins needed Alcantara to rebound in a big way\u2014and he did. With a chance to win the series against a contending San Diego team and the trade deadline looming, the stakes were high Wednesday. Alcantara set the tone right away.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\tThe 29-year-old retired the first 10 batters he faced, striking out four along the way. The first Padre to reach base was his former teammate,\u00a0Luis Arraez<\/a>, who singled through a hole on the left side. Moments later, catcher Nick Fortes<\/a> airmailed a pickoff attempt into right field, allowing Arraez to advance. Manny Machado<\/a> followed with an RBI single, tying the game at 1\u20131. The run was unearned.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cEverything was working very well today,\u201d Alcantara said postgame. \u201cSinker was great, changeup was good, slider, curve\u2014everything was working.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAlcantara cruised through seven innings, facing just two over the minimum while inducing a pair of signature double plays.\n<\/p>\n

\t\tmerge-epmhdh.mp4<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tHis final line: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 4 K on 98 pitches (67 strikes).\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAlcantara later revealed a subtle adjustment that may have helped. For the first time in his career, he lowered his vertical release point on some breaking balls to below 5.5 feet\u2014something he had considered trying earlier this year.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI was thinking of doing it a couple months ago and I wasn\u2019t able to,\u201d he said. \u201cBut today I decided to do it and it felt great.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\tMiami reclaimed the lead in the fifth on a two-run homer by Jes\u00fas S\u00e1nchez<\/a>, his eighth of the season. Josh Simpson<\/a> gave up a run in the eighth, but Calvin Faucher<\/a> nailed down a five-out save\u2014his longest appearance of the season\u2014to lock up the win. The Marlins improved to 48\u201353, while the Padres dropped to 55\u201347.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tWith the MLB trade deadline just eight days away, Alcantara\u2019s outing couldn\u2019t have come at a better time. Once expected to be a clear trade candidate, the right-hander\u2019s up-and-down return from Tommy John surgery has complicated the Marlins\u2019 plans. Even accounting for Wednesday’s outing, his ERA is a hideous 6.66 with a 4.48 FIP that’s the worst mark since his rookie campaign.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\tIf this was indeed his final home start in a Marlins uniform, Alcantara reflected on his time in Miami with gratitude.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI\u2019m just a guy who loved to take advantage of the opportunity,\u201d he said. \u201cI like to learn and compete\u2014and if the fans want to remember me as \u2018El Caballo,\u2019 I\u2019ll take it.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAccording to sources, the Marlins are open to moving nearly anyone not named Eury P\u00e9rez<\/a>, Kyle Stowers<\/a>\u00a0or Agust\u00edn Ram\u00edrez<\/a>. Among those most likely to be dealt: reliever Anthony Bender<\/a>, catcher Nick Fortes<\/a> and outfielder Jes\u00fas S\u00e1nchez<\/a>. Starting pitchers Alcantara and Edward Cabrera<\/a> remain 50\/50 candidates, per club sources.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Marlins are off Thursday before beginning a three-game weekend series in Milwaukee against the Brewers.\n<\/p>\n

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