Sandy Alcantara

Sandy Alcantara

27-Year-Old PitcherSP
Miami Marlins
2023 Fantasy Outlook
Alcantara reached the pinnacle in 2022, winning the National League Cy Young Award while literally lapping the field with six complete games. He continued to pump the four-seam and sinker in at 97-98 mph, though it was the changeup that he threw more than any other pitch last season (34.4 Whiff%). Technically his strikeout rate was only a little above average, but when you subtract walks (K-BB%), he ranked top 20 among qualifiers. Alcantara led baseball by a sizable margin with his 228.2 innings during the regular season and he's the only pitcher in the game to clear the 200-inning threshold each of the past two seasons. A certain portion of the fantasy community will fade Alcantara on principle alone coming off a career year, and it's not crazy to be reluctant about paying the new sticker price in drafts, but Alcantara has to be considered among the safest pitchers on the board from a workload standpoint. Read Past Outlooks
RANKSFrom Preseason
#29
ADP
$Signed a five-year, $56 million contract extension with the Marlins in November of 2021. Contract includes $21 million team option ($2 million buyout) for 2027.
Walks five in no-decision
PMiami Marlins
May 30, 2023
Alcantara did not factor into the decision Tuesday, allowing four runs on five hits and five walks over 6.1 innings against the Padres. He struck out three.
ANALYSIS
Alcantara's command eluded him again Tuesday, as he's now issued 13 walks over his last four starts (25.2 innings). It's been a tough year overall for Alcantara following his Cy Young-winning campaign. He's 2-5 with a 4.93 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 60:25 K:BB through 11 starts (69.1 innings) this season. Alcantara currently lines up for a friendlier matchup with the A's on Sunday, where he'll look to get his season on track.
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Pitching Stats
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2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2023 MLB Game Log
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2022 MLB Game Log
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2021 MLB Game Log
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2020 MLB Game Log
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2019 MLB Game Log
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2018 MLB Game Log
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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
95
Last 10 Games
95
Last 5 Games
100
How many pitches does Sandy Alcantara generally throw?
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
What part of the game does Sandy Alcantara generally pitch?
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2021
 
 
-4%
BAA vs LHP
2023
 
 
-1%
BAA vs LHP
2022
 
 
-15%
BAA vs LHP
2021
 
 
-6%
BAA vs RHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2021vs Left .216 1070 226 79 210 52 4 26
Since 2021vs Right .226 946 242 46 197 32 6 17
2023vs Left .238 151 34 17 31 6 1 4
2023vs Right .240 142 26 8 31 6 0 2
2022vs Left .196 480 98 29 87 21 2 8
2022vs Right .231 406 109 21 87 11 4 8
2021vs Left .229 439 94 33 92 25 1 14
2021vs Right .215 398 107 17 79 15 2 7
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2021
 
 
-38%
ERA at Home
2023
 
 
-25%
ERA at Home
2022
 
 
-46%
ERA at Home
2021
 
 
-40%
ERA at Home
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2021Home 2.34 0.93 265.1 12 13 0 8.5 2.0 0.6
Since 2021Away 3.78 1.20 238.1 13 16 0 8.2 2.5 0.9
2023Home 4.31 1.13 39.2 1 3 0 7.5 3.4 0.7
2023Away 5.76 1.42 29.2 1 2 0 8.2 3.0 0.9
2022Home 1.64 0.87 121.0 9 4 0 8.1 1.7 0.6
2022Away 3.01 1.11 107.2 5 5 0 8.2 2.3 0.7
2021Home 2.41 0.93 104.2 2 6 0 9.5 1.8 0.7
2021Away 4.01 1.23 101.0 7 9 0 8.1 2.6 1.2
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Stat Review
How does Sandy Alcantara compare to other starting pitchers?
This section compares his stats with all starting pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 120 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 120 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • K/BB
    Strikeout to walk ratio.
  • K/9
    Average strikeouts per nine innings.
  • BB/9
    Average walks per nine innings.
  • HR/9
    Average home runs allowed per nine innings.
  • Fastball
    Average fastball velocity.
  • ERA
    Earned run average. The average earned runs allowed per nine innings.
  • WHIP
    Walks plus hits per inning pitched.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many balls in play against a pitcher go for hits.
  • GB/FB
    Groundball to flyball ratio. The higher the number, the more likely a pitcher is to induce groundballs.
  • Left On Base
    The percentage of base runners that a pitcher strands on base over the course of a season.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Barrels/BBE
    The percentage of batted ball events resulting in a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Spin Rate
    Spin Rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
  • Balls Hit 95+ MPH
    The percentage of batted balls hit that met or exceeded the 95 MPH threshold.
  • Swinging Strike
    The percentage of pitches that result in a swing and a miss.
K/BB
2.40
 
K/9
7.8
 
BB/9
3.2
 
HR/9
0.8
 
Fastball
97.7 mph
 
ERA
4.93
 
WHIP
1.25
 
BABIP
.292
 
GB/FB
1.52
 
Left On Base
59.8%
 
Exit Velocity
83.1 mph
 
Barrels/BBE
3.4%
 
Spin Rate
2234 rpm
 
Balls Hit 95+ MPH
24.7%
 
Swinging Strike
13.3%
 
Prospect Rankings History
Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Sandy Alcantara See More
Weekly Pitcher Rankings: More Nothing than Double
Yesterday
Todd Zola toes the rubber with his Weekly Pitcher Rankings for fantasy baseball, starting with Toronto's Kevin Gausman taking the mound twice at home against a pair of tough opponents.
The Z Files: Would You Rather, Pitching Style
3 days ago
Todd Zola poses a series of questions regarding rest-of-season pitching expectations and finds that Joe Ryan has earned a great deal of trust.
Weekly Pitching Rankings: Checking in with Ratios
8 days ago
Todd Zola toes the rubber for the weekly pitcher rankings, including a two-start week for reigning NL Cy Young Award-winner Sandy Alcantara.
Todd's Takes: So Far, They're (Mostly) Right
10 days ago
Todd Zola checks in on whether this year's game is indeed as crispy as advertised and shares his thoughts from Wednesday's games, which included another blast from Jorge Soler.
MLB DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Wednesday, May 24
11 days ago
Chris Morgan checks out Wednesday's evening slate as Juan Soto leads his new team into his old stomping grounds against the Nationals.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
While we didn't see that sizable jump in strikeout rate that some were holding out hope for (24.0 K%), Alcantara still paid dividends for fantasy managers in 2021. Alcantara's 205.1 innings ranked fourth in MLB, and he rode his heavy sinker-slider approach to a 53.3 GB%. He was stingier with the free passes than ever (6.0 BB%), leading to a 1.07 WHIP, and while some giveback should be expected in that regard, everything else sets up well for another stellar season in Miami. He added even more velocity to his heaters in 2021 -- the right-hander averaged 97-98 mph with his fastball variations -- and his aforementioned slider was a much more successful offering overall. Alcantara's changeup had a whiff rate north of 30%, per Statcast, and further improvement with that pitch could help Alcantara unlock another level. The best may be yet come for the 26-year-old.
Perhaps no individual stat stands out in Alcantara's profile at first glance, but he's posted a 3.62 ERA and 1.27 WHIP across his last 32 regular-season starts. In 2020, he continued to tack on velocity, adding at least one mile per hour to each of his fastball, sinker and slider. That, at least in part, allowed him to post a 14.0 K-BB% rate across 42 innings, nearly doubling his previous best mark. Even so, Alcantara's reliance on his sinker means his primary approach to getting outs remains via the groundball. This was highlighted in 2020, as he threw his sinker at a 35% clip, induced a 49.1% groundball rate and surrendered 0.9 HR/9. The downside to that approach is modest swing-and-miss, despite possessing elite velocity. To take another step forward, Alcantara will need to get more punchouts, which could occur as he continues to develop his secondary offerings, particularly his slider and changeup.
It didn't show in his surface stats, but Alcantara had an improved second half, often a harbinger for taking the next step for a young pitcher. Specifically, Alcantara's K-BB% more than doubled after the break, though an 11.6% mark still has room for improvement as even the second half strikeout and walk rates were below average. Armed with a 96-mph four-seamer, Alcantara needs to develop better secondary offerings, especially something offspeed as the delta between all his pitches isn't ample to keep hitters off balance. With time and a great pitcher's park on his side, Alcantara is a strong speculation play to make the leap. Count durability as a plus as well, with Alcantara's 197.1 innings ranking 17th last season. Until he displays a higher strikeout rate, Alcantara is best suited as a streaming option, especially at home. However, there are latent signs of a breakout, so he's worth the shot.
Alcantara has one pitch right now, but it is a very lively pitch. His fastball touches 100 and it is overpowering when batter aren't sitting on it. The problem is his other pitches are nowhere near the quality of the fastball, and their inconsistency coupled with his spotty control led to the results we saw in 2018. We know his secondary pitches are lagging behind his fastball when we see a strikeout rate that belies the velocity he brings from the mound. He is also barely over 23 years old and has 42 more innings of work at the major-league level than 98% of 23-year-olds in organized baseball. This is the kind of pitcher you want to keep at arm's length in reset leagues in 2019 but need to get on board with in keeper and dynasty leagues and ride out the bumps as his stuff comes together.
Dealt to the Marlins as one of the two headliners (along with Magneuris Sierra) for Marcell Ozuna, Alcantara has an arm that's easy to dream on. He has an athletic 6-foot-4 frame, can reach back for 101 mph on his fastball when needed, and won't turn 23 until September. His warts are fairly obvious -- his two breaking balls are very inconsistent and his command/control has a long way to go before he comfortably projects as a long-term starter. However, the trade to Miami will give him a legitimate chance to fix those issues over the next couple years, as he would have likely been fast-tracked to the big-league bullpen had he remained with the Cardinals. Alcantara's changeup projects as a plus pitch, so there is more to work with here than just elite fastball velocity. At worst, he will be a high-strikeout setup man in the Dellin Betances mold. If one of his breaking balls emerges as a legitimate weapon and he improves his command, he could still end up as a No. 1 or No. 2 starter.
Every couple years the Cardinals seem to have an uber-projectable righty turning heads in the lower levels of their system. Sometimes that pitcher turns into Tyrell Jenkins, and sometimes that pitcher develops into Alex Reyes. Alcantara seems to have more in common with Reyes, as he boasts a similar 80-grade fastball that touches triple digits and can sit comfortably around 96 mph. He has a long way to go before he projects to pitch atop a rotation, however, as the command and secondary offerings leave a lot to be desired. His 6-foot-4, 170-pound frame has room to comfortably add mass without sacrificing the electricity that makes him special, and the hope is that this would lead to improved command. Alcantara's changeup is his best secondary offering, already serving as an average pitch. If his curveball can develop into an out pitch in the coming years, then the rest of the ingredients are here for a monster pitcher. This frontline upside is what separates him from some of the more polished arms in the Cardinals' organization.
Alcantara remained at the rookie level for his second professional season, this time pitching stateside after spending 2014 in the Dominican Summer League, and the results were generally strong in 12 starts for the Gulf Coast League Cardinals. While the strikeouts were down from the previous season, with his K/9 falling from 8.7 to 7.1, he also cut down on the walks and was once again able to limit the longball. In fact, in 121 innings so far as a professional (514 batters faced), Alcantara has surrendered just four home runs thanks to a 1.90 GB/FB. He has a long, slender frame at 6-foot-4, 170 pounds, which is the kind of build many scouts like for a future MLB starter, but it would be nice to see the 20-year-old fill out a bit in the coming years to ease durability concerns. Alcantara figures to receive his first full-season assignment in 2016.
More Fantasy News
Picks up second win
PMiami Marlins
May 24, 2023
Alcantara (2-5) earned the win Wednesday, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks over six innings against the Rockies. He struck out three.
ANALYSIS
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Takes fifth loss
PMiami Marlins
May 20, 2023
Alcantara (1-5) took the loss Friday, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks over 5.2 innings against the Giants. He struck out five.
ANALYSIS
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Takes loss after faltering late
PMiami Marlins
May 14, 2023
Alcantara (1-4) took the loss Saturday, allowing six runs on seven hits and two walks over 7.2 innings during a 6-5 loss to the Reds. He struck out nine.
ANALYSIS
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Pitches into ninth inning
PMiami Marlins
May 8, 2023
Alcantara allowed two runs on nine hits and did not walk a batter over 8.1 innings Sunday against the Cubs. He struck out nine and did not factor into the decision.
ANALYSIS
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Falls to Atlanta
PMiami Marlins
May 2, 2023
Alcantara (1-3) took the loss Tuesday, allowing three runs on six hits and three walks over five innings against Atlanta. He struck out five.
ANALYSIS
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