Marlins' Sandy Alcantara Aims to Lead by Example vs. White Sox

Alcantara looks to build on strong Opening Day start as Miami hosts Chicago in series finale

Apr. 1, 2026 at 12:22pm

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Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara, the 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner, is set to take the mound against the Chicago White Sox in the rubber match of their three-game series. Alcantara impressed in his Opening Day start, throwing seven strong innings, and the Marlins are hoping he can continue to set the tone for their young pitching staff. Meanwhile, the White Sox will counter with right-hander Shane Smith, who is looking to bounce back after a rough first outing of the season.

Why it matters

As the clear leader of the Marlins' pitching staff, Alcantara's performance will be crucial in setting the tone for Miami's season. The young Marlins team is hoping Alcantara can build on his Cy Young-winning form from 2022 and provide stability at the top of the rotation. For the White Sox, they'll need Smith to regain his 2022 form if they want to take the series from the Marlins.

The details

Alcantara, 30, dominated the Colorado Rockies on Opening Day, throwing seven innings of one-run ball while striking out five. He'll look to continue that success against a White Sox lineup led by Japanese star Munetaka Murakami, who has four RBIs and three home runs in the first five games of the season. On the other side, Smith struggled in his first start, allowing four runs (three earned) in just 1.2 innings against his former team, the Milwaukee Brewers. The White Sox are hoping he can settle down and provide a quality start to give their offense a chance to even the series.

  • Alcantara will face the White Sox on Wednesday afternoon in the rubber match of the three-game series.
  • Last week, Alcantara threw seven innings of one-run ball on Opening Day against the Colorado Rockies.

The players

Sandy Alcantara

The ace of the Miami Marlins' pitching staff and the 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner.

Shane Smith

The Chicago White Sox right-hander who had an All-Star rookie season in 2022 and is looking to bounce back after a rough first start this year.

Munetaka Murakami

The Japanese star who won the Triple Crown in Nippon Professional Baseball in 2022 and is making his MLB debut with the White Sox this season.

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What they’re saying

“'It's a long season, but it's better if you start winning.'”

— Sandy Alcantara

“'Sandy is a premier arm talent. Hopefully, that was a sign of great things to come.'”

— Pete Fairbanks, Marlins closer

“'It's a good opportunity for me to grow as a player and learn as much as I can.'”

— Leo Jimenez

“'I wanted that so bad.'”

— Shane Smith

What’s next

If Alcantara continues to pitch well, he could cement his status as one of the top pitchers in the National League. For the White Sox, a strong outing from Smith would go a long way in helping them even the series against the Marlins.

The takeaway

Alcantara's performance will be crucial in setting the tone for the young Marlins team, while the White Sox will need Smith to regain his 2022 form if they want to have success against Miami's ace.