MIAMI – Sandy Alcantara dreamt of pitching in the Major Leagues as a young boy in Azua, Dominican Republic, but he never could’ve imagined where the journey would lead him.
The same could probably be said for the Marlins, who acquired a then-22-year-old top prospect with limited big league experience in the trade return for All-Star Marcell Ozuna in December 2017.
Eight seasons later, Alcantara set yet another franchise record – this time for career innings – in Saturday’s 7-0 win over the Angels at loanDepot park.
“I'm glad to have done it, everything here, because I feel very happy and grateful for the opportunity that this team gave to me since I came in 2018,” said Alcantara, who received a standing ovation from the crowd and tipped his cap in appreciation.
“Got [an] opportunity to play out there every fifth day, being a No. 1 and win a Cy Young. Innings pitched, strikeouts, quality starts. I don't know how many more records they have, but I'm very happy about the opportunity that this organization gave to me to play the game out there with my teammates.”
Alcantara, who entered his 194th career start as a Marlin at 1,223 2/3 frames, needed just seven outs to surpass Ricky Nolasco. He retired the first six batters in order and matched Nolasco with a strikeout of Moisés Ballesteros to end the second, then surpassed him with a strikeout of Josh Lowe in the third.
The 30-year-old Alcantara went on to toss seven frames, extending his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 20. He scattered three hits, with one walk and a season-high-tying eight strikeouts.
This marks the third franchise record Alcantara has set this season; he became the Marlins’ all-time strikeout and quality starts leader in June and July, respectively.
“That's our third or fourth time in there this year, toasting him to some really incredible career accomplishments,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “Any time you're talking about having the franchise all-time record in anything, it speaks to consistency, longevity. Certainly, you have to be able to perform at a high level to be able to do that. Sandy's made his name and his mark in this league with what he did today, and that's going deep into games again, doing it incredibly efficiently.”
Since making his Marlins debut on June 29, 2018, Alcantara's 1,230 2/3 innings are the seventh most in the Majors despite missing the entire 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Since his first career quality start on Sept. 5, 2018, against the Phillies, Alcantara’s 113 quality starts rank sixth in MLB.
Following a disappointing 2025 campaign in his return from the procedure, Alcantara has bounced back in ‘26 to embody the workhorse baseball had grown so used to watching. He leads the Majors in innings pitched (163 2/3) and quality starts (18) through 25 outings.
“Great guy to look up to the way he goes about his work, the way he worked when he was injured with his elbow and how he came back and how he's done since he's come back from that,” said Xavier Edwards, who has been Alcantara’s teammate since 2023. “It's been a lot of fun to watch, and it's really easy to play behind him.”
The Marlins (59-59) snapped a four-game skid by providing Alcantara with an early cushion on a pair of two-run hits from slumping double-play duo Edwards and Otto Lopez in the third, and another three runs in the fifth. It was more than enough support for Alcantara, who improved to 28-1 when given a lead of at least four runs in his career.
The next franchise milestone for Alcantara to chase down is Nolasco’s 197 career starts as a Marlin. Alcantara is three away, putting him in line to do so in late August against the Red Sox at home.
These records are possible because Miami elected to keep Alcantara rather than move him ahead of the Trade Deadline for the second consecutive year. Alcantara could further distance himself in the franchise leaderboard with a $21 million team option for 2027 – and do so in front of family and friends again like on Saturday.
“Family is everything, especially when they're watching you playing your favorite sport,” Alcantara said. “They've been watching all the success that I have. I know my mom is not here, but still knowing that she's very happy about the way that I've been taking care of my family and my job.”