Marlins SP Sandy Alcantara to face old team on Monday

The Miami Marlins will send Sandy Alcantara to the mound on Monday when the Miami Marlins face the St. Louis Cardinals at Marlins Park.

The last time Miami Marlins fans saw Sandy Alcantara on the mound was last Wednesday when the 23-year-old pitched seven innings of five-hit ball in an 8-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on the road. Now, the team’s No. 4 starter takes the ball to the mound as he faces his former team, the St. Louis Cardinals to begin another series at home.

For Alcantara, this season has been more about feast or famine as the power pitcher has looked every bit the dominant ace at times and has looked like a starter hoping to get out of innings in other situations.

The organization could use a solid start from Alcantara and a resurgence at the plate of their bats after falling to the Atlanta Braves three straight games, two of which they should have won.

More from Marlins News

• Miami Marlins news: Another target gone
• Why didn’t the Miami Marlins sign JDM?
• Miami Marlins rejected Boston‘s trade offer
• Miami Marlins are pursuing Michael Conforto
• Miami Marlins need to spend to win

It was Alcantara who came through the Cardinals minor league system before he was shipped to the Marlins as part of the deal that sent Marcell Ozuna to St. Louis prior to the start of Spring Training last season.

A win for Miami, especially if Alcantara, who is 3-5 this season with a 3.80 ERA, can go deep into the night, would ease the pain of a lost opportunity in a 7-6 loss to the Braves on Sunday. Miami’s bullpen surrendered a lead they could not get back, eventually falling in 12 innings.

"“When Pablo López was lifted after six innings, allowing one run, the Marlins were positioned nicely to snap their three-game losing streak and avoid a sweep at the hands of the Braves,” writes Joe Frisaro of MLB.com."

It did not happen. The bullpen which was poised for another save from Sergio Romo, imploded allowing for Braves to plate four runs in the ninth inning. The Marlins lost 1-0 the previous night after a gem by starter Trevor Richards where the team could not score runs to support the effort.

Saturday night’s loss stung a bit. The home team has lost four in a row and are now 13-9 in their last 22 contests since starting 2019 with a record of 10-31. Miami is 23-40 overall.

There is no pressure on Alcantara to change the fortunes of the franchise, rather just go out and pitch like he did last week and hope the team can score as many runs as it did last night, if not more.

Alcantara has looked much improved his last two starts where he has only given up one earned run in 13 innings on the mound. Michael Wacha gets the call for St. Louis. he is 3-2 this season with a 6.30 ERA.