The Miami Marlins are still in the thick of the National League Wild Card race as they currently sit a half-game back of the Chicago Cubs for the last spot in the NL Wild Card standings. The Marlins dropped a game to the New York Mets last night 8-3, causing them to miss a chance at passing the Cubs and giving themselves a half-game lead. The Marlins are off tonight, and the Cubs are wrapping up their series with the Pittsburgh Pirates; if the Cubs lose, they will be tied with them; if the Cubs win, they will be a game back. The Marlins may be getting an arm back to their rotation depending on how tonight goes as RHP Sandy Alcantara is set to make a rehab start tonight for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, the Triple-A affiliate of the Marlins, as they take on the Nashville Sounds, who are the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Sandy Alcantara By The Numbers
Alcantara has been out with a UCL sprain and hasn’t pitched since September 3rd. This season, Alcantara has had a down season following a National League Cy Young campaign in 2022. Alcantara came into 2023 as one of the favorites to win the award again, but that hasn’t come to fruition as he is 7-12 in 28 starts, posting a 4.14 ERA, a 4.03 FIP, a 1.21 WHIP, a 1.1 HR/9, a 2.3 BB/9, and a 7.4 K/9. Last season, when he won the Cy Young award, he was 14-9 in 32 starts with a 2.99 FIP, a 0.98 WHIP, a 0.6 HR/9, a 2.0 BB/9, and an 8.1 K/9. Despite the struggles of Alcantara this season, the Marlins are still in the playoff race.
2023 Miami Marlins Remaining Schedule
He could return by early next week if tonight goes well and Alcantara pitches well with no discomfort. The Marlins have nine games left on the schedule starting tomorrow with a three-game series at home against the National League Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers, whom the Marlins are 1-3 against this season, being outscored 19-5. They then will travel to Citi Field to take on the New York Mets, who the Marlins just finished a series against and are 3-7 against this season and have been outscored 46-28. Then they will wrap up the season in Pittsburgh against the Pittsburgh Pirates, who they are 3-1 against, and they outscored them 13-10. If the Marlins will need to win six-plus games if they want to get in, and if they can get Alcantara back and he can pitch the way he has in recent seasons, this Marlins team could make a deep run.
