Marlins RHP Sandy Alcantara diagnosed with UCL sprain

Miami Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara has been diagnosed with a sprained right ulnar collateral ligament.

Alcantara landed on the 15-day injured list on Sept. 6, three days after allowing four runs (two earned) on nine hits in eight innings to earn a win against the Nationals. He was originally diagnosed with a right forearm flexor strain until an MRI revealed the UCL sprain.

Ahead of Wednesday's game against the Brewers, Alcantara played catch for the first time since his outing against Washington.

"Obviously, anything with the elbow you're concerned about," Miami manager Skip Schumaker said. "But he still feels like he can have a throwing progression, which he started today. We're going to take it day by day."

With 16 games left in the regular season following Wednesday's contest against Milwaukee, neither Alcantara nor Schumaker have stated whether or not the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner will make a return to the mound in 2023.

"I don't know. I can't say yes. I can't say no. I've just gotta be positive," Alcantara said of a return. "I just gotta keep telling myself day by day and try to take advantage of the opportunity."

In 28 starts this season, Alcantara has gone 7-12 with a 4.14 ERA. He went 14-9 with a 2.28 ERA across 32 starts last season to take home the Cy Young.

Alcantara, who turned 28 last Thursday, is in his seventh major league season. He is 41-55 with a 3.31 ERA in 146 career appearances (138 starts) with the St. Louis Cardinals (2017) and Marlins (2018-23).

Miami (74-71) entered Wednesday's game 1 1/2 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for the third and final wild-card spot.