Sandy Alcantara’s season is officially over, as Marlins manager Don Mattingly told reporters (including the Miami Herald’s Jordan McPherson) today that the star right-hander won’t be pitching in the Marlins’ season finale on Wednesday. Alcantara pitched yesterday and would’ve been lined up to make his 33rd start in Wednesday’s game against the Braves, but Miami will instead close the book on what might end up as a Cy Young Award-winning campaign for the 27-year-old righty.
Over a league-high 228 2/3 innings, Alcantara has looked like an old-school workhorse in a sport increasingly dominated by pitch counts and bullpen usage. Alcantara has a 2.28 ERA, 53.6% grounder rate, and 5.6% walk rate to go along with that big workload, and he earned his second All-Star nod. While Miami is reportedly open to trading from its pitching depth this winter, Alcantara is known be off-limits, as his five-year, $56MM extension signed last November has made him a Marlins cornerstone.
More from the NL East….
- Starling Marte is still recovering from his fractured right middle finger, as Mets manager Buck Showalter told Newsday’s Tim Healey and other reporters that Marte’s finger still hasn’t healed enough for the outfielder to start swinging or throwing. Marte hasn’t played since September 6, but his attempts at making it back before the end of New York’s season have already resulted in one cessation of baseball activities, as Marte’s continued discomfort in his finger has prevented him from being able to properly ramp up his readiness. With the regular season winding down, there must now be concern whether or not Marte will be ready when the Mets start the playoffs, whether that is on Friday (if the Mets are a wild card) or perhaps even on October 11 (if the Mets win the NL East). Naturally, that latter date would give Marte more time to heal, but the Mets and Braves might be battling for the division title until the final day of the schedule.
- The Braves are also missing a key figure from the pennant race, as Spencer Strider’s stint on the 15-day injured list will last until that 162nd and final game. Strider has been dealing with an oblique strain, and manager Brian Snitker told reporters (including Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) that there isn’t any update on whether or not Strider will be able to return for that last game. The rookie right-hander has been getting treatment and doing core exercises, but while Snitker said that has been some improvement, Strider hasn’t yet started throwing.
Alcantara has pitched a ton of innings….my question is: does he throw or does he pitch….?
Am a lifelong Phillies’ fan living in Chicago, so I don’t see many east coast games…
Am serious…I want to root for the guy….and other p’s who can cross the 200ip threshold…
2.28 ERA and you’re asking if he can “pitch”?
I’m just glad it’s not going to be one of the last games vs. ATL, in a series that will decide division champs.
200? “Pitchers” (not throwers) used to pitch 300 innings. Amazing how few who take the mound in todays game can even qualify for an ERA title (162 innings)
Most of today’s pitchers would probably throw 300+ innings regularly if they threw in a 4-man rotation and averaged 85 mph on their fastballs like they did back in your day
Huh? It’s called command. Throwing strikes. Placing pitches all around the strike zone. Mixing speeds. Being efficient.
Considering guys only get about 33-34 starts if they’re fully healthy all season. They’d have a toss a CG everytime they take the mound to hit 300.
Pretty great what alcantara has done this year. Fully deserving of a CY
I would think Kyle Wright and his 20 wins get some consideration for the NL CY Young.
Wright will be lucky to get three points. That’s what Urias got last year.
I’m ok having a 21-game winner as a #3.
You are right Donny. I forgot these awards are all a popularity contest. Might as well just give it to deGrom or Scherzer.
Max Fried is more deserving of Cy votes than Wright. He’s not even the best pitcher on his team. That would be Fried. Today’s voters aren’t focused in the wins Stat like the morons that gave Colon the Cy in 05. For my money it’s Sandy who should get it.
As in Greg Maddux!
Nobody that throws 85mph in high school is getting scouted, let alone drafted or scholarship offers. Games different now. It just how it is. The analytics nerds broke the game.
21 wins
Max Fried is probably more deserving of the Cy Young than Kyle Wright, although what Kyle has done this year deserves his own fair share of recognition. He has been OUTSTANDING!!
Although, alongside Fried and Wright, you also have the spectacular season that Spencer Strider has had, his low numbers against him, and his 200+Ks that deserve to be in the Cy Young conversation too…
I have no clue how they are going to decide the rookie of the uear award with Michael Harris and Spencer Strider both putting up sensational seasons!!
Strider has pitched like an absolute ACE most times he’s taken the mound, and probed to he a dominant force for the Braves for the majority of the season. On the other hand, Michael Harris has played lights out as well. He’s provided GG caliber defense in CF, while also hitting for a solid blend of power and contact batting over .300 with 20 bombs..Not to mention, he’s also stolen 20 bases on the year, and I believe he’s only been caught twice. He’s the definition of a 5-tool player, and since his arrival and steadying presence in the lineup the Braves really started to take off…
Co-Rookies of the Year maybe!?! I don’t see how anyone could choose one over the other and be 100% positive about their decision.
Most pitchers who threw 300 innings could coast through the bottom third of the lineup instead of having to face nine hitters who all can hit the ball over the fence. Those pitchers weren’t asked to throw max effort every pitch, and they didn’t have several flamethrowers lined up behind them in the bullpen.
Marte’s injury has killed the Mets. Offensively, defensively, and mentally.
If your team’s success depends on one player, you don’t deserve to win.
The Braves lost Ozzie and didn’t miss a beat. It’s not the player, it’s the team.
You’re right but in this case, Marte made the Mets lineup deeper. That obviously points to a lack of depth but his absence really hurts. That and the lack of an actual DH.
Ozzie made the Braves lineup deeper, and Strider made the rotation deeper. Injuries happen.
Every defensive position for the Braves except DH has hit at least 20 home runs. Three have hit over 30. The DH hit 17.
Every spot in the lineup has hit at least 20 home runs. Two have hit over 30.
The Braves don’t rely on any one hitter. They have a team of hitters.
Depth is what wins championships…The Braves also don’t have their Young and upcoming Cy Young contender in Mike Soroka who has been missing for two years.
Take out your team’s Ace, and see how easy it is to win and replace him…Fried wasn’t always the Ace of this team, it was first Soroka when he was healthy…
Now, the Braves have been missing one of the best 2B in all of baseball as well. If your team cannot overcome injuries you will be doomed to fail.
This is where it’s on your GM. He has to prepare for these things, stacking talent in the minor leagues, drafting ahead of needs, creating a pool of talent to upgrade positions via trade, or to fill holes mid-season, etc…
Craig counsell kinda screwed over Burnes with yesterdays start. 8 innings 0 runs. Prevented him from pitching a shutout. On top of that he’s at 199 innings and they’re considering skipping his next scheduled start on Wed preventing him from pitching 200 this year. Smh
The Mets are one of the biggest overachievers and luckiest teams in baseball all season. Chances are they win tomorrow with another 50 mph rbi by McNeil and savage a tie-breaker. The Braves need the Nats to not gift the Mets a win like the Marlins did in game 2 this week.
Funny how baseball changes 20 years ago Wright with 21 wins would be a cy young candidate. Now we’re all into sub categories.
Not sure if Atlanta would be this close to a division win without Wright. Yet; people think someone 13 and something is more valuable.
20 or 30 years ago if you got 30hrs and 100rbi’s that was considered a great season. Now with analytics you could argue that that same player could have a negative 1.5 war…and actually cost you wins. Insane.
Like all the folks saying Matt Olson is terrible because he doesn’t hit like Freeman.
A player can hit 30 HR with 100 RBI and not have a good season overall. Probably not -1.5 WAR, but it certainly could be below average, which is about 2.0 WAR.
Record-book wins simply are not a very good way to evaluate pitchers.
Wow! This Comments sections is all over the place, jumping from one point (Some of which are inane.) to another.
Let me simplify things for everyone in no particular order of importance.
1. Whether they win the NL East or not, the Mets are probably gonna win 100 games this year. That isn’t luck. Just ask the other 12 NL teams who won’t sniff 100 wins if they’d like their team to be that lucky!
2. Alcantara is the best pitcher in the NL. His Win total isn’t important. Guy throws a quality start (QS) almost every time out. Wins, like BA compared with OBP, are out of fashion. QS are the better indicator on how good a starting pitcher is. Besides, “Wins” is a team stat not a players’ stat.
3. Can’t blame the Marlins for calling it a year with Alcantara. No need, at least for the Marlins, for him to pitch again this year. Of course, if that final game on Wednesday figures into who wins the NL East, I’m sure Met fans would want him pitching that day vs. the Braves. But the Mets aren’t beholding to the Mets or anyone else, so I’m fine with their decision.
4. It’s absurd for anyone to say losing Marte didn’t hurt the Mets. Of course it did. And, yes, all teams have injuries, oftentimes to star and/or key players. My Phillies are struggling to hang onto the final WC slot. I might not sweating that out right now had they not lost Harper and Segura for two months each; Castellanos (Who was finally heating up.) for a month; Wheeler for five starts and our closer, Seranthony Dominquez for a month. As an aside, I still miss Didi.
5. After the league playoff smoke clears, and all the pundits’ comments are just mere puffery, it’s gonna be the Mets and Yankees in the WS.
Condescension isn’t a virtue.
No one said losing Marte didn’t hurt the Mets.
It’s beholden, not beholding.
That’s funny…I’m putting $1k on the fact the neither team makes the WS. At the end of the day the Astros and Braves will be right back where they were last October.
QS (Quality Start) isn’t much better than using wins as your go to stat. Both derive much of their value from the defense behind the pitcher. Your infield/outfield doesn’t have as much range as the other team? Your pitcher’s numbers will suffer in the wins/QS stat. Using analytics that focus on the pitcher’s own performance provide more insight. Fangraphs and Baseball Savant provide easy to understand glossaries of the most useful terms. Not being an analytic snob here. I’m just a long time fan who’s interested in information that helps provide a deeper dive into the why and how of all things baseball. Nothing at all wrong w/using any and every stat available, both old and new.
In addition to what you said, is a QS really a quality start? A 4.50 era is nothing to write home about.
Right, but no one stat really tells the COMPLETE story of a pitcher’s performance.
That is where the basis of analytics came from, using different sets of numbers to help tell a more accurate and complete story.
This is especially important when you’re using statistics to make comparisons.
All too often analysts, fans, and media members misuse stats to further backup their opinions and sell them as facts, when really they are typically only partial truths..
Agree richardc. More information makes things more interesting, but numbers aren’t everything. Imo, the intangibles that can’t be measured also still matter. I’m amused when I hear some of the hardcore analytics proponents arguing that “if it can’t be measured by a statistic, it doesn’t exist.” They should think about that the next time one of their kids says “I love you.”
Castellanos heating up? Bro he’s got a -0.1 war. They have a better shot of winning when he doesn’t play. Great signing. Guy can’t field. Now he can’t hit.
Braves need to make a good, legitimate offer to the Marlins this off season for alcantara.
I seriously doubt Miami would trade within the division, and the Braves don’t have anything to trade. Their farm is barren. The Braves could include Grissom, but they don’t have much else. Other teams could offer more.
How about Strider and Grissom. Would the Marlins do that?
@Joey: thats an interesting offer. I imagine the Marlins would have to consider it. I love Strider, but I don’t think he’s a Sandy. There would probably be milb players included.
Strider has more long term value then Alcantra. The Braves would hard pass on that trade.
Yeah the Braves don’t have enough for Alcantara. Inner division deal no less.
If he gets dealt—it’ll be to a team with a stronger farm.
I wouldn’t mind seeing him in Baltimore.
If this dude doesn’t win the Cy Young award this year then that award should be eliminated altogether moving forward or every member who voted should be investigated for bribery. Sandy has been so much better than everyone else that it’s almost embarrassing. Sure, there are other pitchers with better ERA or WHIP, but they all have pitched like 70 innings less than this dude.
If he doesn’t win, he can blame the Phillies. I think they beat him 4 times this year.