The Miami Marlins intend to keep pitcher Sandy Alcántara, according to reports, as the team has climbed into a wild-card position. The club plans to "add strategically" rather than trade their ace, The Athletic reported.
Owner Bruce Sherman recently indicated Alcántara's long-term future with the team. "He’s our franchise icon, and for us, I look forward to many years in the future and what this all becomes," Sherman told Marlins radio. "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."
Speculation about Alcántara's potential departure had surfaced previously, particularly following a non-committal statement from president of baseball operations Peter Bendix at the end of the 2025 season. However, Miami's recent performance appears to have solidified the club's stance.
The Marlins have won 26 of their last 34 games, moving into a wild-card spot. Alcántara has been a key contributor to this surge, leading Major League Baseball in innings pitched and providing much-needed length to the rotation.
After a challenging 2025 season where Alcántara posted a career-worst 5.36 ERA, he has rebounded in 2026 with a 4.00 ERA. The 30-year-old pitcher joined the Marlins in 2018 and has been a prominent figure for the team throughout the decade. His career highlights include winning the Cy Young Award in 2022, when he finished with a 2.28 ERA across 228 ⅔ innings.
"He represents the very best of not only the Marlins, but he represents the very best of baseball," Sherman said of Alcántara. "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."