Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara takes aim at manager after getting yanked in 9th inning of Reds loss

Sandy Alcantara is in the middle of an excellent bounce-back campaign for the Miami Marlins thus far in 2026. The former NL Cy Young awardee has endured a bit of a decline in 2024 and 2025, but he seems to be back in form for the Marlins, especially if his first three starts of the season are any indication.

Alcantara entered his third start of the season, which came on Tuesday against the Cincinnati Reds, having allowed a grand total of zero earned runs on the season in 16.0 innings of work. As an encore, Alcantara was brilliant once again against the Reds; he was a workhorse once more, pitching 8.1 innings on the night while allowing just three base hits.

However, Alcantara, with one out in the ninth, allowed a double to Matt McLain and then he proceeded to walk Elly De La Cruz. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough proceeded to yank him. This proved to be a disaster, as the Marlins bullpen allowed those two runners to score to tie the game at 2-2, and they ended up losing 6-3 in extra innings.

After the game, Alcantara made it clear that he did not like his manager’s decision to take him out.

“I deserved to be asked how I felt before I was taken out of the game,” Alcantara said, per Kevin Barral of Fish On First.

Alcantara was at 95 pitches already, which may have played a part in McCullough’s decision to relieve him. Nonetheless, putting in Anthony Bender, who allowed the Reds to pull off a double steal, which then led to a sac fly from Sal Stewart. Bender then threw a wild pitch which allowed De La Cruz to come around to score.

Calvin Faucher had a nightmare of a 10th inning, allowing four runs to essentially put the game out of Miami’s reach. But this all may not have happened had the Marlins trusted Alcantara to get the final two outs.

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