Miami Marlins right-handed pitcher Sandy Alcantara stepped onto the mound on Tuesday for his first live batting practice since having Tommy John surgery last October to fix a torn ligament in his elbow.
Alcantara threw around 20 pitches, reaching speeds of 97 to 99 mph, as he aims to return at the beginning of next season.
“I’ve been getting tired of just throwing bullpen,” Alcantara shared before the Marlins played the Los Angeles Dodgers. “I think today was a big step for me to be out there. One inning. 20 pitches. Live BP. Everything feels good.”
He mentioned that the main goal was to see how his fastball felt, and he added that it “felt good.”
A few of Alcantara’s teammates watched him from the dugout, and manager Skip Schumaker praised his progress, saying he looked like he was in “opening day form.”
“It was really impressive. All the hard work that he’s put into this thing, the training staff, the pitching coaches. It was a really big day,” Schumaker said.
The 29-year-old Alcantara has not pitched in the majors since feeling discomfort during a game against Washington on September 3, 2023. After being placed on the injured list, he made a minor league rehab start, which ended early due to more discomfort. He underwent surgery in October.
“It’s been hard for me being out, sitting, watching,” Alcantara said. “A guy like me, who always likes to compete, it’s hard for me. At the same time, it feels good because I’ve been traveling with the team and supporting them, and we’ve had fun together.”
In 2022, Alcantara finished with a record of 14-9 and a career-best 2.28 ERA, throwing a major league-best six complete games, making him the Marlins’ first Cy Young Award winner.
He doesn’t know when he will have another live batting practice but is focused on being ready for opening day on March 27 against Pittsburgh.
