Sherman calls Alcantara ‘franchise icon,’ praises Marlins’ push into playoff race
Miami Marlins principal owner and chairman Bruce Sherman has always made it known that he has high respect for ace Sandy Alcantara.
Sherman reaffirmed that sentiment on Friday, calling Alcantara the “franchise icon” as the Marlins come off a triumphant June that has them in the thick of the National League playoff race as the All-Star Break approaches.
“He means everything,” Sherman said in an interview with Marlins Radio’s Jack McMullen prior to the team’s series opener against the Athletics in Sacramento, California. “Sandy has been here the same number of years I’ve been here, and the ownership group the last eight years together. I have profound respect for Sandy. He’s the ultimate professional. When you talk about the culture of this organization that [president of baseball operations] Peter Bendix and [general manager] Gabe [Kapler] and [manager] Clayton [McCullough] and all the people have created, he’s part of that culture. He carries himself. He’s fierce. He’s quiet. He’s loud when he has to be, and he doesn’t just want to win. It seems he wants to be the one who takes the ball every five days. I look forward to him taking the ball every five days. I missed him the year he was out with Tommy John [in 2024]. He represents the very best of not only the Marlins, but he represents the very best of baseball. He’s a humble guy. I’ve traveled with him. I text him occasionally. I separate my fandom from my ownership, but he’s just an extraordinary individual.
“He’s our franchise icon, and for us, I look forward to many years in the future and what this all becomes.”
If Alcantara is going to be with the Marlins for “many years in the future,” he’s going to need a new deal soon. Alcantara’s current contract has a $21 million club option for the 2027 season and then he is slated to be a free agent.
He has been the face of the team for the past half-decade. Alcantara has been the Marlins’ Opening Day starter a franchise-record six times and became the first pitcher in club history to win a Cy Young Award in 2022.
He set the franchise record for career strikeouts on June 23 when he logged his 1,002nd career strikeout as a Marlin. He is closing in on franchise marks for career innings pitched (43 shy of Ricky Nolasco’s mark of 1,225 2/3) and is 10 starts shy of matching Nolasco’s franchise record in that category as well (197).
Finally, Alcantara is two shutouts from tying Dontrelle Willis’ franchise mark of 15. A.J. Burnett is also ahead of Alcantara on that list with 14.
Beyond talking about Alcantara, Sherman spoke of the team’s 20-6 record in June, a torrid run that brought them from eight games under .500 into the thick of the wild-card race. Miami entered Friday’s game against the Athletics with a 46-42 record, one-and-a-half games back of the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL’s third wild card spot.
Sherman specifically highlighted performances of shortstop Otto Lopez, second baseman Xavier Edwards, starting pitchers Max Meyer and Alcantara and the bullpen among standouts.
“The record was great. It was a lot of fun,” Sherman said. “I guess what stands out the most is the complete complimentary baseball we’re playing everywhere. Clayton has just done an outstanding job getting these guys to focus on fundamentals every single night and day and transformed our season in June. We’re not just winning games. We’ve been great. I know we had a couple of hiccups the last two games, but we’ve been outscoring opponents, and we’re doing the little things that matter.”
Now, will that be enough for Sherman to give the green light for the front office to swing big at the trade deadline? Sherman didn’t give a definite answer to that but expects the Marlins to compete regardless.
“I always have to separate my fandom from my ownership,” Sherman said. “We have 20-30 games — I guess all of July, pretty much — left for the push for the trade deadline. I’m looking forward to this club operating so efficiently and winning so many games that we’re right there. ... I’m looking forward to continued growth of the players. We’re a young team. Look at how powerful Clayton and the front office have handled the pitching staff as guys go up and down. We want the best 26 players on that squad.
“We’re going to have a lineup up and down that is good,” Sherman added. “We may not have all the slug that some of these clubs have, but if you can play defense, if you can run the bases, if you can play smart and you can pitch, especially in leverage situations, you’re going to win, and I expect to see it going forward.”
This story was originally published July 3, 2026 at 9:38 PM.
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