Alcantara shows glimpses of dominance, but Marlins ace plagued by one bad inning in loss to Rays

It was going so well for Sandy Alcantara through four innings.

The Miami Marlins’ ace had retired 11 batters in a row when he took the mound to start the fifth inning of Saturday’s 4-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at loanDepot park.

He had worked out of trouble at the start, regularly clocked 99 mph, and was looking increasingly like the pitcher he was before Tommy John surgery — the “swaggy version of Sandy,” as manager Clayton McCullough calls him.

In the fifth, even after allowing two singles — including an RBI hit by Chandler Simpson — and three stolen bases and hitting a batter, Alcantara had Yandy Díaz in an 0-2 hole — one filthy pitch away from escaping with only one run allowed.

But Díaz banged a two-run single up the middle, and Jonathan Aranda followed with a broken-bat RBI knock for a 4–0 lead. Alcantara then retired the next batter, Kameron Misner, which ended the Rays’ turn at bat and his afternoon.

One rough inning to end an otherwise encouraging outing.

“A good step. It feels like he’s a little snake-bitten,” McCullough said. “Some of those balls are going to get hit at people, which will make the overall outing look different. But as far as how he threw the ball and the quality of his stuff, how he’s utilizing it, it bodes well as we move forward.”

“Just no luck out there for me today,” said Alcantara, who allowed four of his five hits in the fifth. “The first four innings, everything was good. Fifth inning, they just hit the ball right there in the hole.

“It feels good. I’m trusting the process,” he added two minutes later. “But I don’t know. I’m just getting tired of being out there and don’t have that success I’m looking for. I know the hard work, the patience, everything I put into this start — to have this type of result today, I don’t like that.”

The former Cy Young winner’s ninth start of the season began ominously. Josh Lowe smacked Alcantara’s first delivery off the left-field wall for a double. Alcantara then walked Brandon Lowe on four consecutive balls.

After an out at second on a fielder’s choice, Alcantara bore down. He struck out Aranda swinging with a 99-mph sinker and then fanned Misner with a 100-mph four-seam fastball — his fastest pitch of the season. He hit 100 mph again in the second, which he ended by striking out Danny Jansen staring at a 99.5-mph sinker.

“The big punches there to get out of the inning, that was great,” McCullough said. “He was getting some early contact and getting some ground balls. He looked sharp. He was in a really good rhythm through the early part of the game.”

Rays starter Drew Rasmussen’s velocity didn’t reach as high as Alcantara’s, but he was masterful in six scoreless innings. Rasmussen allowed only four hits, struck out five, and didn’t walk a batter. He threw 55 of his 81 pitches for strikes.

The Marlins finished the game with just six hits. Kyle Stowers and Liam Hicks each went 2 for 4 at the plate. The rest of the lineup combined to go 2 for 25.

“We just weren’t able to string a whole lot together,” McCullough said. “Rasmussen threw a good game, and we just didn’t get enough going and scattered our hits instead of getting them in bunches.”

▪ Shortstop Xavier Edwards is day-to-day after “imaging turned out OK” on his lower back, McCullough said. “Not as sore [Saturday],” he noted. Edwards started the Marlins’ first 42 games before sitting out Friday with back tightness. Javier Sanoja replaced him in the lineup for the second game Saturday.

▪ Edward Cabrera is scheduled to make his next start Monday against the Cubs, McCullough said. The right-hander was slated to take the mound against the Rays, but fluid buildup near his fingernail pushed back his start.

▪ Eury Perez pitched four innings for Single A Jupiter on Friday — his fifth rehab start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2024. The right-hander gave up three hits and one run (a solo homer) while striking out three, walking none, and reaching 99 mph with his fastball.

“His stuff was very strong. He was efficient. He felt great,” McCullough said. “He continues to check all the boxes necessary, move forward, and build his stamina. Another really encouraging positive step for Eury.”

▪ Matt Mervis was 0 for 3 Saturday and has two hits in his past 28 at-bats, with 15 strikeouts. “Missing too many pitches he should hit,” McCullough said, adding, “When Merv’s been at his best this year, it’s not a passive approach, it’s aggressive.”

▪ About two dozen East Carolina University alumni, clad in purple and gold, watched batting practice from in front of the home dugout. Marlins’ third baseman Connor Norby (2019-21) and McCullough played for ECU (2000-02). McCullough also was a volunteer assistant coach for the Pirates for one season, and his father, Howard, played for them as well.

“I had a terrific experience at East Carolina. My folks still live in Greenville [North Carolina.],” McCullough said. “Fond memories for me playing collegiately there … so cool to see some Pirates down here supporting us today.”