The Miami Marlins have gotten off to a much better-than-anticipated start. The Fish holds a 10-9 record on the season and are 7-3 in their last ten games. Unfortunately, they were dealt a bit of a blow on Saturday. One of the National League’s best rotations will be without the reigning Cy Young award winner for the foreseeable future.
Craig Mish of the Miami Herald reported that Sandy Alcantara wouldn’t pitch for the Marlins this weekend in Cleveland. The Marlins were rained out on Friday night against the Guardians and have since scratched Alcnatara from making his scheduled start, which would’ve been Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader. Instead, left-hander Devin Smeltzer will fill in for Alcantara, who, according to Mish, is dealing with biceps tendinitis.
Based on Mish’s inquiries, he doesn’t believe the injury to be severe and that Alcantara will start for the Marlins in Atlanta next week. Still, an arm injury, flare-up or not, to one of the game’s best young pitchers is concerning news.
Regardless of the timing of what’s been described as a “mild injury,” Alcantara’s 2023 season stats have been relatively concerning thus far. After two quality starts, including a four-hit shutout, Alcantara has combined to give 14 runs (11 earned) on 16 hits. In those ten innings pitched, he’s struck 13 batters while walking only one. So, his command doesn’t seem to be an issue, but he’s been hit around a bit in his last two starts and currently holds a 5.47 ERA through 24.2 innings pitched.
The MLB world reacted to the concerning Marlins news on social media:
I’m not trying to be an alarmist….but this is NO BUENO!!!!! https://t.co/0cXoJbhhFT
— Peace Bro Lounge (@peace_lounge) April 22, 2023
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.