CHICAGO – Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara will not make his final start of the season this Saturday, manager Clayton McCullough announced.
Before Marlins fans panic, this is not due to health concerns. The way McCullough explained it to Alcantara earlier in the week and to media members on Thursday, he considered the 31-year-old right-hander’s journey over the past 36 or so months.
Alcantara, who leads the Majors in starts (33) and innings (213) and ranks second in quality starts (21), missed the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery. In his return last year, he struggled to regain his form until the final two months, finishing with a career-high 5.36 ERA over 174 2/3 frames (his lowest career total in a full season).
McCullough also took into account Alcantara’s workload at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (three innings in one start) and Spring Training (12 2/3 frames in four starts).
“Just think about the last two and a half years with this guy,” McCullough said. “It takes a lot out of someone. He has the TJ surgery, the amount of rehab, mental and physical effort that's required there. … We asked him to go on regular rest later in the summer because we wanted to get him out there as much as we could to try to keep ourselves in it.”
McCullough noted Alcantara may pitch out of the bullpen this weekend, when the Marlins host the Braves at loanDepot park – something that was Alcantara’s idea. If he does so, it won’t be a piggyback situation of four or five innings. McCullough even acknowledged it might seem contradictory for Alcantara to pitch in relief.
Alcantara recorded his second career save – both of which have come on this three-city road trip – in Wednesday night’s victory over the Cubs. Miami has yet to determine who will start in his place on Saturday.
“What it takes physically and mentally to get yourself ready to go start a Major League game, to grind through 100 pitches, he's been doing that,” McCullough said. “I just feel like he hasn't had a break.”
Right-hander Eury Pérez, who made his debut in relief in Tuesday’s win, will start Friday’s series opener. Righty Janson Junk will start Sunday’s season finale.
“He's healthy,” McCullough said of Alcantara. “He feels good. We saw it again last night. Velo was great, so he's healthy. There's nothing wrong with Sandy. This is just a decision that I've made. Thinking just through the last two-plus years for this guy, we're going to count on him in ‘27 to have to again shoulder a big load and be able to take down a bunch of starts and innings.”