Jupiter, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) warms-up before the game against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Stadium. Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Miami Marlins Officially Peg Sandy Alcántara as Opening Day Starting Pitcher

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Sam Connon | Last updated Feb 13, 2025 11:57 AM ET

Fans won't have to wait much longer for Sandy Alcántara to make his triumphant return.

The Miami Marlins ace missed the entire 2024 season recovering from Tommy John surgery he underwent in October 2023. He has gotten back into the swing of things at spring training camp this week, though, and manager Clayton McCullough confirmed to reporters Thursday morning that the former Cy Young winner would be his Opening Day starter.

"Informed him that he'll be our Opening Day starter – probably no secret there, but Sandy was excited," McCullough said. "Been a long journey, coming back from last year. He was really excited, the smile on his face to get that news. So organizationally, we're very excited and the fanbase in Miami will be excited to see Sandy take the hill for us Opening Day."

Here is the moment Miami Marlins manager Clayton McCullough announced that Sandy Alcantara will be the Opening Day starter.#Marlins @FishOnFirst pic.twitter.com/HPbbQY6rfC
— Kevin Barral (@kevin_barral) February 13, 2025

This will mark Alcántara's fifth career Opening Day start, having previously earned the nod from the Marlins every year from 2020 to 2023. In those four season-opening appearances, Alcántara is 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA, 1.029 WHIP and 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings.

No other pitcher in Marlins history has made more than three Opening Day starts.

Prior to his injury, Alcántara was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. The right-hander was named an All-Star for the first time in 2019, then led all MLB pitchers in WAR and won NL Cy Young in 2022.

Between 2018 and 2022, Alcántara went 34-43 with a 3.09 ERA and 1.135 WHIP, averaging 194 strikeouts and a 5.2 WAR per 162 games. He took a step back in 2023, going 7-12 with a 4.14 ERA, 1.213 WHIP, 151 strikeouts and a 3.4 WAR across 28 starts, but he still played his part in lifting Miami to its second playoff berth in four years.

Alcántara won't be tasked with carrying a rebuilding team back to the postseason in 2025, but he still faces a critical campaign ahead.

The Marlins traded Jesús Luzardo to the Philadelphia Phillies in December, just as Braxton Garrett was undergoing UCL surgery. That will place a lot more pressure on Alcántara atop the rotation, while Cal Quantrill, Ryan Weathers and Edward Cabrera will fill things out behind him.

Miami opens Grapefruit League play next week, all in the leadup to their Opening Day matchup with the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 27. Alcántara could very well end up facing off against reigning NL Rookie of the Year winner Paul Skenes at loanDepot Park that afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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