After latest gem, a look at where Sandy Alcantara’s season is ranking in Marlins history
At this point, Sandy Alcantara’s teammates are at a loss for words when trying to describe his Cy Young Award-caliber season.
“I just don’t want to face him,” first baseman/designated hitter Jesus Aguilar said.
“Unbelievable,” shortstop Miguel Rojas said. “All year.”
“Sandy did what he did,” first baseman/designated hitter Garrett Cooper said. “Like always.”
Alcantara’s latest show-stopping outing: A complete-game shutout in the Miami Marlins’ 3-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday at loanDepot park. After needing 22 pitches to get through the first inning and maneuvering around a bases-loaded, one-out jam, the Marlins’ ace breezed through the rest of his outing.
“If he catches a groove,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said, “then you know they’re in for a lot.”
Alcantara for the most part has been in a groove all season.
And he’s putting himself into pretty good company in Marlins franchise history.
Wednesday was Alcantara’s MLB-high third complete game this season. He’s the first Marlins pitcher with three complete games in a season since Henderson Alvarez in 2014.
He leads the majors with 158 1/3 innings pitched, almost 20 more than the next closest competitor (Aaron Nola, 138 2/3 innings). He’s well on his way to being just the fifth Marlins pitcher to post consecutive seasons with 200 innings pitched, joining a group that includes Dontrelle Willis (2005-2007), Carl Pavano (2003 and 2004), Ryan Dempster (2000-2001) and Kevin Brown (1996-1997).
And even more, Alcantara’s 1.88 ERA leads the National League and is second behind only the Houston Astros’ Justin Verlander (1.81) among all starting pitchers.
Of the 22 other instances in which a Marlins pitcher has thrown 200 innings in a season — including Alcantara’s 205 2/3 innings last season — only once did the pitcher register an ERA below 2.00. That was Brown in 1996, when he had a 1.89 ERA through 233 innings and 32 starts. He threw five complete games, including three complete-game shutouts that season.
The next lowest ERA for a Marlins pitcher with more than 200 innings pitched? Willis’ 2.63 mark in 2005.
“Sandy has been kind of historical this year from what he’s been able to do,” Mattingly said. “We’ll see where this goes. We’ll be taking care of him. I think he’s getting seven days [rest] this next time. So he’s going to get a little breather here. We’ve been talking about it, we’ve got his schedule set up for the rest of the way. So just kind of watch it, let it go. Let the season pass, and it’ll be fun to watch.”
Luke Williams’ spot in Marlins history
While Alcantara’s gem on the mound was understandably Miami’s headlining performance on Wednesday, an under-the-radar player also found himself in rare company in Marlins franchise history.
Infielder Luke Williams went 3 for 3 with a double and career-high three stolen bases in the win, becoming just the sixth player in franchise history to record at least three hits and steal at least three bases in the same game.
The others: Jon Berti, Emilio Bonifacio (twice times), Juan Pierre (three times), Luis Castillo (three times) and Chuck Carr (twice).
Williams joins the Cleveland Guardians’ Andres Gimenez as the only other player to accomplish the feat this season.
This and that
▪ Rookie outfielder JJ Bleday recorded his first career outfield assist in the fourth inning on Wednesday when he threw out Joey Votto trying to stretch a leadoff single into a double. Bleday also had two hits in the game for his second multi-hit outing of his brief big-league career. Through 12 games, Bleday is hitting .214 with a .607 OPS.
▪ Outfielder Avisail Garcia landed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a left hamstring strain that came while running to first base on a groundout in the second inning on Tuesday.
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