Sandy Alcantara is likely staying put in Miami.
Despite trade rumors over the last few seasons, the Marlins plan to keep their ace and even “add strategically,” according to The Athletic.
Owner Bruce Sherman also indicated recently that Alcantara will likely be around for the long haul.
“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.
“I have profound respect for Sandy,” he added. “He’s the ultimate professional. When you talk about the culture of this organization that [president of baseball operations] Peter Bendix and [general manager] Gabe [Kapler] and [manager] Clayton [McCullough] and all the people have created, he’s part of that culture.
“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. I look forward to him taking the ball every five days.”
At the end of 2025, Bendix was non-committal on Alcantara’s future, opening the door to speculation of a possible trade.
The Marlins’ recent hot streak has silenced any speculation about Alcantara getting dealt, as Miami is 26-8 over its last 34 games and in a wild-card spot.
Alcantara has been a fundamental piece in the Marlins’ success, giving them much-needed length as he leads the MLB in innings pitched.
Last season was disastrous for Alcantara, as he pitched to a career-worst 5.36 ERA, but he’s bounced back nicely in 2026, lowering that mark to 4.00.
The 30-year-old has been the Marlins ace nearly all decade after joining the team in 2018.
His most notable accomplishment was winning the Cy Young award in 2022 when he pitched to a career-best 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 Alcantara. “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.”
