Sandy Alcantara appears poised to work via the early struggles on his Cy Young Award follow-up season for the Miami Marlins
Perhaps a return go to to Wrigley Field, the place he as soon as delivered a memorable postseason efficiency, might help start a turnaround.
Looking to rebound from one other subpar outing, Alcantara may even attempt to assist the visiting Marlins keep away from a sixth straight loss and sequence sweep by the hands of the Chicago Cubs on Sunday
Alcantara (1-3, 5.09 ERA) dazzled in 2022, throwing six full video games whereas going 14-9 in 32 begins with 207 strikeouts and a 2.28 ERA. However, that success has but to hold over to 2023, the place he is yielded at the very least three earned runs in 4 of his six begins, accomplished six or extra innings simply twice and fanned greater than six solely as soon as.
“I haven’t got to alter something,” stated Alcantara, who allowed three runs, six hits and three walks, whereas fanning 5, over 5 innings of Tuesday’s 6-0 loss to Atlanta. “I simply obtained to maintain optimistic, imagine in myself. Keep engaged on the whole lot I’ve obtained to do to get higher. Get on observe from final yr.”
The right-hander hasn’t confronted the Cubs since he yielded an Ian Happ homer, two different hits and overcame three walks over 6 2/3 innings of Miami’s 5-1 street victory in Game 1 of the 2020 NL Wild Card sequence. Including the postseason, Happ is 2-for-4 versus Alcantara, who’s now saddled with attempting to assist the Marlins finish their longest slide of 2023
Since sweeping a three-game house set from the Cubs final weekend, Miami has been outscored 34-12 in 5 video games since. Jorge Soler homered for one in all his two hits Saturday, when the Marlins led 2-1 going into the underside of the eighth. However, Chicago scored thrice for a 4-2 victory
Nick Madrigal delivered a go-ahead, two-run single within the eighth for the Cubs, who’ve taken the primary two of this set to maneuver a sport over .500 following their 1-6 street journey. With two hits in every of the final two video games, Chicago’s Nico Hoerner is batting .315 on the season — and 7-for-20 (.350) versus Miami in 2023
Meanwhile, touted Cubs first base prospect Matt Mervis has recorded an RBI single in every of his first two main league video games this weekend
Hayden Wesneski (2-1, 4.45) eyes a 3rd straight stable begin when he takes the ball for Chicago on Sunday. The right-hander has allowed a lone run in every of his final two outings whereas giving up a complete of 9 hits and only one stroll over 11 innings. He lasted six frames throughout Tuesday’s 4-1 loss at Washington.
“I feel discovering his rhythm and his supply helps him lots,” Cubs supervisor David Ross stated. “He’s obtained that mentality the place he needs to go get it, so as soon as he settles and calms down, will get into the move of the sport, he is a lot better.
This will likely be Wesneski’s first look in opposition to the Marlins and star Luis Arraez, who’s batting a major-league greatest .430 and carrying a nine-game hitting streak. He is 9-for-17 in opposition to the Cubs this season
–Field Level Media