Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara took the mound for the first time in 521 days on Sunday, reaching 99.3 mph on the radar gun and tossing a scoreless inning in Miami’s 1-1 Grapefruit League tie against the Mets at Clover Park.

The 29-year-old right-hander, who underwent Tommy John surgery on October 6, 2023, had not pitched in a game since a rehab start for Triple-A Jacksonville on September 21, 2023. His road to recovery included playing catch for the first time on March 9, 2024, and throwing live batting practice on September 17. There was a possibility of Alcantara returning last season had the Marlins been in the postseason race.

Sunday’s outing marked the beginning of Alcantara’s progression toward the season opener. Miami has already announced that he will make his franchise-record fifth Opening Day start on March 27, when the Marlins host Pittsburgh at loanDepot Park.

Bring Velocity to Another Level

Velocity has always been a hallmark of Sandy Alcantara's game, and Sunday was no exception. In 2023, only Reds right-hander Hunter Greene (98.3 mph) averaged a higher fastball velocity than Alcantara, who came in at 97.8 mph. Of the 17 pitches Alcantara threw (13 for strikes) against the Mets, five registered at 99 mph or higher—no other Major League starter has hit 99 mph this spring.

“I know that the hard work that I was doing in the offseason, during my rehab, today, my arm feels so good, and I'm just trying to let it go,” Alcantara said. “I was good throwing where I want to throw it, just missed a couple times, trying to be too perfect. But after that, just trying to throw in the middle and let those guys swing.”

After firing a 97.8 mph first pitch, Alcantara induced a soft lineout to first from Luisangel Acuña. Mark Vientos then singled to right, but Alcantara got a grounder from Brett Baty that should’ve been a routine double play. However, second baseman Javier Sanoja bobbled the ball, settling for just one out. Alcantara finished his inning with a 98.7 mph sinker that Jose Siri swung through for strike three.

The outing surpassed even Alcantara’s own expectations. He had wondered if rust might cause him to walk a batter, but as it turned out, that was never a concern.

A Thankful Vibe

Sandy Alcántara certainly has the potential to come back stronger than ever. He's always been known for his electric stuff, workhorse mentality, and durability. If he's coming off an injury or a rough patch, his recovery will depend on a few factors, but given his talent and his track record, it's not out of the question for him to bounce back stronger.

“I say ‘Thanks God’ for giving me the opportunity to be out there and compete and be healthy,” Alcantara said. “It feels great after a long time without competing. So everything feels great today. Little nervous, but after that first pitch, I forget about everything.”

The key would be his ability to adjust to any changes in his mechanics, strength, and conditioning, especially if there's been an injury. He's still young, and pitchers often find new ways to improve after dealing with adversity. With his high-velocity fastball and nasty changeup, if he can stay healthy and refine his secondary pitches, he could absolutely return to elite form, or even better.