The Miami Marlins are staring at two very different free-agent calls this offseason, and the contrast could not be sharper.
On one side is Sandy Alcantara, the 31-year-old starter the club can’t really afford to let walk. On the other is closer Pete Fairbanks, a short-term addition whose future in Miami looks much less certain.
Alcantara is more than just another arm in the rotation. The source calls him the “motor of the team” and the veteran leader, and makes the case that the Marlins need to keep him in place.
He’s a pitcher who “loves to compete,” and the feeling here is that he’s spending his best years in Miami. There’s also a clear sense that long-term loyalty matters, with the argument that it would be great to see him remain a Marlin for at least one or two more seasons.
The timing matters, too. The Marlins are said to be close to a postseason breakthrough, and while Alcantara has already experienced that with the club in 2020 and 2023, this group is described as the most talented one he has been part of during his time in Miami.
His résumé backs up the importance. Alcantara has “made history after history,” including recording his first career save and throwing the most innings by a Marlins pitcher.
He’s also the kind of starter who can work deep into games and finish what he starts. The source points out that if Miami can get a fully healthy roster and add one more solid starter, the team could take off.
Alcantara also carries a $21 million club option for 2027.
Fairbanks is a different story. The 32-year-old, who turns 33 in December, signed a one-year deal with the Marlins, and there’s a strong chance that’s all the team needs to see before moving in another direction.
His numbers were rough: a 4-5 record, a 6.31 ERA and 19 saves in 46 games. He also will have surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in October. The source notes that he was not the same pitcher he was with the Tampa Bay Rays last season.
The struggles piled up across the year. April, June and July were among his worst months, and his final two starts were not sharp either.
From July 5 to September 14, he allowed 10 earned runs. Even so, the possibility remains that the Marlins could decide to give him the benefit of the doubt and bring him back for another season.
Still, the front office does not view Fairbanks the way it views Alcantara. Miami is also waiting to see how Ronny Henriquez responds after his season-ending injury. Henriquez is younger, and before going down, he was on the verge of becoming the Marlins’ primary closer.
In Other News...
Sandy Alcantara Is Reaching A Marlins Crossroads Fans Feared
Sandy Alcantara has spent the last several seasons as one of the defining arms in Marlins history, the kind of pitcher who gives the franchise a standard to measure everything else against. He still carries the weight of that 2022 National League Cy Young Award and the records he has piled up in Miami, but the organization around him has changed, and so has the way it views pitching. Under president Peter Bendix, the Marlins have pushed a different approach, and Alcantara has already adapted to it, even taking on a late-inning closer role during the 2026 season.
Now the bigger question is whether Miami wants to keep building with him at the center of things. Alcantara has a club option for 2027, and after that he would be on track for free agency, which puts the Marlins at a familiar crossroads with a franchise icon. For a team that has rarely been able to hold onto its best players, the decision on Alcantara is more than just another roster call, it is a test of how far this new front office is willing to go to anchor its pitching future around a familiar face. [Read more 🡒]
Marlins Offseason May Hinge On Young Help They Desperately Need
The Marlins spent much of the year looking for ways to patch together a roster that could stay in the postseason picture, and the offseason plan appears likely to follow the same path. Miami is weighing help from both the current major-league group and a wave of young talent, with the front office still focused on finding a left-handed pitcher while also trying to get more out of several prospects who could change the shape of the club next season.
Snelling, Mack, Sanoja and Arquette are among the names the organization wants to see take a bigger step, and the midseason promotions already pointed to a broader push toward development. For a team that needs more depth and more impact throughout the roster, the question is not just who can help now, but which of those young players can become part of the answer when the Marlins try to build a more complete contender. [Read more 🡒]
Braves May Have Unlocked A New October Weapon With Chris Sale
The Marlins took a notable October-style gamble with Sandy Alcantara, turning their ace into a closer in a game and handing him his first save in nine years. It was also his first relief appearance of the season, a move born out of bullpen injuries but one that could have a longer shelf life if Miami decides the look works down the stretch.
Atlanta has been exploring a similar lane, using Chris Sale out of the bullpen in a playoff game as both clubs search for ways to squeeze value out of their best arms when every inning matters most. For the Marlins, it adds another layer to how they manage Alcantara moving forward, and it fits a broader late-season trend of starters being asked to handle leverage spots usually reserved for relievers. [Read more 🡒]