The injured top pitcher for the Marlins is progressing faster than expected in their recovery from Tommy John surgery.
Injured Marlins’ top pitcher Sandy Alcantara showed significant progress in his recovery from Tommy John surgery today, according to The Miami Herald’s Jordan McPherson. Alcantara, who underwent surgery last October, participated in a throwing session this afternoon, marking his first baseball activity since the operation. Although Alcantara is still far from returning to the mound, manager Skip Schumaker expressed optimism about the 28-year-old’s rehabilitation, stating to reporters that Alcantara is “likely ahead of schedule by three or four weeks.”
Despite the possibility of Alcantara being ahead of schedule by up to a month, it is highly improbable that he will pitch in the majors during the 2024 season. Alcantara initially went on the injured list on September 6 due to a flexor strain, but the diagnosis of a UCL sprain followed a week later. He was ultimately shut down for the season on September 23 and underwent surgery shortly afterward. Recovery from Tommy John surgery typically takes at least a year, and the Marlins are unlikely to rush Alcantara’s return to the mound. Although his performance in 2023 was subpar with a 4.14 ERA in 28 starts, his outstanding 2022 season, where he posted a remarkable 2.28 ERA with a 2.99 FIP and led the majors with 228 1/3 innings pitched, underscores his potential importance to the team.
While Alcantara’s progress won’t affect the Marlins in 2024, it bodes well for his chances of being ready to pitch by Opening Day 2025. In the meantime, the team is expected to rely on pitchers such as Eury Perez, Jesus Luzardo, Braxton Garrett, Trevor Rogers, and Edward Cabrera. The Marlins reportedly received trade offers for some of their young rotation arms during the offseason, indicating the potential for changes in the pitching staff before Alcantara’s return in 2025, whether through trades before the summer deadline or in the following offseason.
In other news from the NL East…
Nationals center fielder Victor Robles left today’s game prematurely due to hamstring tightness, as reported by MASN’s Bobby Blanco. Manager Dave Martinez stated after the game that Robles had a “knot” in his hamstring after being hit by a pitch in that area during a recent game against the Marlins. Robles, who turns 27 in May, was once considered a top-5 prospect in baseball but has struggled to establish himself in the majors. He had a promising start last year before his season was cut short by injury, limiting him to just 36 games. As the 2024 season approaches, Robles appears to be the frontrunner for playing time in center field, although Martinez indicated that rookie Jacob Young, 24, could also compete for playing time.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza recently informed reporters, including Andrew Crane of the New York Post, that infielder Jeff McNeil is at least a week away from participating in spring training games. McNeil suffered a partially torn UCL in his left arm last September and has been rehabilitating the injury during the offseason. The Mets are being cautious due to left biceps soreness that McNeil experienced last week, although he has yet to play in Grapefruit League games since camp opened last month. Despite these setbacks, McNeil showed progress by taking dry swings today without experiencing biceps pain. Once fully healthy, McNeil aims to reclaim his starting role as the Mets’ second baseman in 2024, following a challenging 2023 season.
