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.
One of the world’s most iconic beaches just got a bit sandier.
Last Friday, City of Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber declared the area between Lummus Park and Sixth Street as "Sandy’s Beach."
The designation will remain in place until December. Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara, whose workouts in between starts have become the stuff of legend, now fittingly has a sign with his name on it along Ocean Drive next to Muscle Beach.
"I've got to take [some equipment] from the gym to the beach, put a small gym over, to invite some people to go there and work out," Alcantara said.
It is the latest honor bestowed upon Alcantara since being named the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner -- the first in franchise history.
In January, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez gave Alcantara a key to the city and proclaimed Jan. 10 Sandy Alcantara Day. On Monday, Liván Hernández presented Alcantara a piece of art by Hernández's cousin, Heyder Luis Reyes.
The Marlins also welcomed back Sandy’s Beach presented by Curaçao for his start on Tuesday at loanDepot park. It was a dandy, as Alcantara tossed his fourth career shutout in a 1-0 win over the Twins. At every home start by Alcantara this season, fans can sit down the third-base line behind the Marlins' dugout in a South Florida beach-themed section.