MIAMI (AP) — Sandy Alcantara put last year's ups and downs behind him and got off to a strong start to this season.
The Marlins ace allowed four hits and one run in his franchise-leading sixth opening day start on Friday, leading Miami to a 2-1 home win over the Colorado Rockies.
Alcantara allowed just one baserunner through the first three innings and finished with five strikeouts and two walks.
“Great for me especially to win the first one,” he said. “We know this is a long season and it’s better when you start winning.”
It was just the type of start Alcantara needed after a difficult 2025. After missing the entire 2024 season following Tommy John surgery, Alcantara returned to the mound in last year's opener and finished the season 11-12 with a 5.36 ERA in 31 starts.
He was spectacular after the All-Star break following a stretch when he lost seven consecutive starts and went nearly two months between wins amid season-long trade speculation, which he said was difficult to navigate.
The Marlins ultimately decided not to move him, and the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner and two-time All-Star went 7-3 with a 3.13 ERA over his last 12 starts.
Second-year manager Clayton McCullough said Friday he noticed a promising change in Alcantara's mentality during the spring.
“This is our second year with Sandy, and I think it was a more jovial Sandy at times," McCullough said. "I knew he had put a lot of things behind him. There was no more rehab talk. He was healthy. He had shown himself that he hung through some tough times and was able to execute again at such a high level the back half of the season. I think he was able this offseason to really just go and get himself strong.”
Alcantara, 30, is in his eighth major league season and is Miami's longest-tenured player. Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix predicted before the game that “vintage Sandy” would make a return to the mound this year.
At his best, Alcantara was one of the most durable pitchers in the league. He made history in 2022 as the first Marlins pitcher to win the Cy Young award. It was a unanimous vote after he pitched a league-high six complete games in 228 2/3 innings, also a league-best.
"Sandy is really important to this organization," Bendix said. “The things that he has accomplished here, what he means to the organization, we know that. I think he’s proud of that and we’re proud of that. I think this year could be maybe the best year yet for Sandy.”
Alcantara allowed just one baserunner Friday until the fourth inning, when Rockies left fielder Jake McCarthy hit a leadoff bunt single and stole second before being thrown out at home by right fielder Austin Slater on Hunter Goodman’s single. Jordan Beck hit an RBI single later in the inning.
“He was putting the ball where he wanted to," Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. "We came out aggressive. In that fourth inning, when we had him on the ropes a little bit, we took some pitches, got deeper in the count and made him work a little bit. But he ended up wiggling out. He’s really good."
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara stand son the mound during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Jannik Sinner sat out the Miami Open a year ago as he served a three-month suspension after testing positive for a banned substance.
Now the 24-year-old Italian is on the verge of winning his second Miami Open title in three years and becoming the first male to win the “Sunshine Double’’ since Roger Federer in 2017.
The second-ranked Sinner roared into the Miami Open final with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) win over No. 4 Alexander Zverev on Friday night at Hard Rock Stadium.
“Coming here and trying to produce some good tennis was my main goal, and standing here again in the final means very much to me,” Sinner said. “It has been an incredible swing and I couldn’t be better. I’m very happy."
Sinner, who served 15 aces, has beaten Zverev seven straight times and has won a record 32 straight sets at an ATP Masters 1000. A hardcourt dynamo, Sinner captured the first leg of the Sunshine Double on March 15 when he topped Daniel Medvedev in Indian Wells.
Sinner will be a heavy favorite when he faces 21st-seeded Jiri Lehecka in Sunday’s final. Sinner has won 11 straight matches in Miami dating to 2024. He captured the 2024 Miami Open but wasn’t allowed to defend his title.
Nevertheless, Zverev was the crowd favorite, particularly drawing loud cheers on points he won in the second set.
When the 6-foot-6 German got up a break point leading 4-3 in the second set, the stadium was awash in noise. But Zverev couldn’t pull it off, hitting a backhand into the net as Sinner escaped. In the second-set tiebreaker, Sinner lost the first point but pounded two straight aces to lead 2-1 and soon it was over after a Zverev service return sailed long.
Sinner notched his first-set break at 2-1. Off a long rally, he came in and smashed an overhead winner for break point, then looped a lovely forehand winner down the line to make it 3-1.
Sinner has a 3-0 career record against Lehecka, beating him last at the 2025 French Open.
Lehecka advanced to the biggest ATP final of his rising career by routing 28th seed Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-2 in the early semifinal. Lehecka’s Czech countryman, Jakub Mensik, won the Miami Open last year.
Lehecka will make his first appearance in an ATP Masters 1000 final.
“Today was a great match,’’ Lehecka said. “Definitely brought me a lot of confidence going into the Sunday final. I must say that it was one of the better matches that I played in my life,’’
Lehecka, 24, broke Fils in the opening game and the outcome never seemed in doubt. On match point, Lehecka served an ace and raised his arms. Lehecka finished with six aces, no doubles faults and didn’t face a break point. He hasn’t been broken in the tournament.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Alexander Zverev of Germany reacts to a missed point against Jannik Sinner of Italy during a semifinal match at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Jannik Sinner of Italy reacts after defeating Alexander Zverev of Germany during a semifinal match at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Jannik Sinner of Italy reacts after defeating Alexander Zverev of Germany during a semifinal match at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic, right, hugs Arthur Fils of France, after winning in their semifinal match at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic celebrates after winning a semifinal match against Arthur Fils of France, at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic shouts as he celebrates after winning a semifinal match against Arthur Fils of France, at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
