Sandy Alcantara, Marlins shoot for sweep of Reds

Sandy Alcantara is off to a rough start this season, but the Miami Marlins are counting on him as they attempt to complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday afternoon.

Cincinnati’s Brady Singer (3-0, 3.38 ERA) will face Alcantara (2-1, 7.27) in a battle of right-handers.

As a first-round pick out of the University of Florida in 2018, Singer signed with the Kansas City Royals for a $4.25 million bonus.

As a lightly regarded 17-year-old prospect out of the Dominican Republic in 2013, Alcantara signed by the St. Louis Cardinals for just $125,000.

Since those early days, however, Alcantara has had the better career, and he has the 2022 National League Cy Young Award as proof.

But Alcantara, 29, missed the 2024 season due to elbow surgery. He returned this year but has struggled with his command. Alcantara has issued 10 walks in 17 1/3 innings, an average of 5.2 per nine innings. His career rate is just 2.8.

Alcantara is 2-3 with a 3.03 ERA in seven career appearances — including five starts — against the Reds.

Singer, 28, went 36-44 with a 4.28 ERA in five seasons with Kansas City. Last November, Singer was traded to the Reds for a former Florida teammate, infielder Jonathan India, as well as outfielder Joey Wiemer.

Singer has been an instant hit with the Reds, striking out 10.1 batters per nine innings, which would be his career high. He is also allowing just 0.8 homers per nine innings, which is would be a career low.

Known for his slider, Singer has faced the Marlins just once, when he tossed 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball in a no-decision on June 26, 2024.

Singer will hope for offensive support from All-Star shortstop Elly De La Cruz, who is still a work in progress. De La Cruz struck out 218 times last year — the most in the major leagues. This season, he is striking out in 32.7 percent of his plate appearances, up from 31.3 percent in 2024.

In the first two games of this series, De La Cruz is 2-for-8 with four strikeouts. He manufactured a run on Tuesday by hitting a single, stealing two bases and scoring on a sacrifice fly in the Reds’ 4-3 loss to the Marlins.

“It’s important to make every play possible,” De La Cruz said.

The Reds also got a massive 431-foot solo homer from third baseman Noelvi Marte on Tuesday. He has a 1.085 OPS this season.

“He’s been very good,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “… He hit that (home run) ball really well. He’s done a good job.”

The Marlins have won three consecutive games, and they are doing it with a bullpen by committee. On Tuesday, Calvin Faucher earned his second save with a perfect ninth inning.

Faucher said Marlins coaches deserve credit for how they are working the relief corps. On Tuesday, four Miami relievers turned in one scoreless inning apiece.

“They are good at communicating with us and letting us know when to be ready,” Faucher said. “When guys’ names are called, we’re ready to go.”

The Marlins’ offense has been sparked in the current series by rookie catcher Agustin Ramirez. In his first two major league games, Ramirez is 5-for-6 with three doubles, two walks and an RBI and a stolen base. Ramirez, who hit cleanup on Tuesday, has an absurd OPS of 2.208.

“I’ve been working a lot to have these results,” Ramirez said through an interpreter, according to MLB.com. “And to be honest, sometimes I look through the mask and look at the stadium, I ask myself, ‘Am I here?'”

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said, “There’s real talent and bat speed there. There’s a calmness to his plate appearances.”

–Field Level Media