Alcantara: Staff ace, mentor ... and godfather to teammate's new son?

This story was excerpted from Christina De Nicola’s Marlins Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

MIAMI -- Marlins right-handers Sandy Alcantara and Eury Pérez are more than just teammates -- they’re family.

Years ago, Alcantara took Pérez, then a top prospect, under his wing. What started as a mentorship quickly developed into a friendship. Once Pérez joined the big league club in May 2023, they became peers. Now, the pair’s dynamic resembles the typical relationship between siblings.

“The respect and the confidence that he gave to me and has shown to me, it's always a great opportunity for me to show him that I'm here for him, that I want him to be here for a long time, that I want him to learn new things and to get better,” Alcantara said. “Eury, to me, is not my teammate; he's like my brother.”

In case there was any doubt as to what they mean to each other, Pérez revealed after Saturday’s start that Alcantara is the godfather to his first child, a 4-month-old boy. Pérez asked Alcantara whether he would be up for the role via text about a month ago.

“I didn't want to say much about it,” Pérez said via interpreter Luis Dorante Jr. “I was a little shy, too, because I didn't know how he was going to react, because I think it's a huge responsibility.”

Added Alcantara: “I said, ‘Why not? Just put me in.’ It's a really good and great opportunity for me to have Eury make that decision and put me as his son's godfather. Hopefully, he’s going to remember when he's growing up, maybe when he gets old. It's a special moment.”

The reasons for picking Alcantara, who is now a first-time godfather, are aplenty. The baby’s mother is a good friend of Alcantara’s family. Alcantara and Pérez are close both on and off the field. Their families already know each other.

Pérez sees Alcantara, the father of a 12-year-old son and a 1-year-old daughter, as the perfect model for a baseball-playing dad. Alcantara changed diapers and pays attention to small details around the house. He makes sure his son goes to school and completes his homework. He takes care of not only his wife but also the rest of the family.

“He's a family guy,” Pérez said. “You rarely see him [going out]. He's always spending time with his family, [he’s] very respectful, and I think that was part of the decision to make him our godfather, because you can see that love. I want to make sure that's something that we can transfer.”

Alcantara became a first-time dad at 17, but it wasn’t becoming a young father that forced him to mature. He has always been that way as one of 11 siblings.

A teenage Alcantara left home in Azua, Dominican Republic, where his late mother, Francisca, resided to stay with his oldest sister, Aridia, and pursue his dream of playing professional baseball.

“Younger than Eury!” Alcantara said. “It wasn't too hard for me, because I was already in baseball -- not earning a lot of money, but I was getting more than usual in the DR. Being a father that young, it showed me that you've got to be the man -- take care of my first boy, my wife and the whole family as well. I've been taking care of my family since I was 16 years old, and I've got to keep doing it, because I made a promise to my mom, and I've got to keep doing it.”

Alcantara, now 30, will offer any advice should Pérez ask. He occasionally pries to see whether Pérez has been changing diapers and waking up in the middle of the night. The 23-year-old Pérez is also fortunate enough to have a strong support system, including loving parents that finally got to see him pitch in the big leagues in 2025.

“I'm pretty sure it was hard for him and for his wife, right?” Pérez said. “I think I had my kid in the right moment right now. It's still young. Maybe some people might not think it was the best moment, but I think he came in the right moment.”