Skenes and Alcántara show early dominant flashes in hyped opening day matchup

By Canadian Press on March 27, 2025.

MIAMI (AP) — Hyped as the most appealing starting pitchers’ matchup of opening day, Paul Skenes outlasted Sandy Alcántara but neither was involved in the decision of the Miami Marlins’ 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.

Pittsburgh’s Skenes is the reigning NL Rookie of the Year. Alcántara, the veteran Marlins right-hander who won the NL Cy Young Award in 2022, missed last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Skenes struck out seven over 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball. The 22-year-old right-hander had a 4-1 lead but was lifted after issuing consecutive walks to Xavier Edwards and Kyle Stowers in the sixth.

“I got a little sloppy there at the end,” Skenes said. “I had to execute a little quicker in that sixth inning. Not getting into those 3-2 counts and that’s probably a different story at the end.”

Alcántara’s outing ended after he allowed a two-run single to Bryan Reynolds in the fifth that put the Pirates ahead 2-1. Alcántara gave up two runs, two hits, struck out seven and walked four.

He kept Pittsburgh hitless until Ke’Bryan Hayes’ two-out single in the fifth. Alcántara then walked Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Tommy Pham.

“We know I didn’t do my best job out there,” Alcántara said. “I was trying to give it my best but if you take away the walks from the fifth, the results would have been better.”

Even after his sluggish end, Skenes was in line for the victory in the first opening day start of his career. But Pirates relievers Colin Holderman and David Bednar allowed three runs over the final two innings that gave Miami the walkoff win.

“It’s early and there are always adjustments to be made,” Skenes said. “We’ll do that. It was a cool environment. A lot of energy in the building.”

Skenes acknowledged the matchup against Alcántara.

“He’s a really good pitcher but at the end of the day I have to go out there and pitch my game,” Skenes said.

Alcántara had not pitched since Sept. 3, 2023. He immediately proved he was ready in the at-bat against Pham to start the game. The seven-year veteran threw only fastballs that ranged between 98.1 and 99.6 mph to strike Pham out.

“I had a lot of emotion out there. I was close to crying but I’m hard to cry,” Alcántara said. “Finally, I’m back in a big league mound. Grateful to God that I returned to my mound here in Miami to compete.”

Despite his absence, Alcántara wants to quickly regain the form that made one of the sport’s workhorses. Alcántara, who reached 200 innings in 2021 and 2022 and had thrown 184 before the injury that ended his 2024 season, understands it will require a gradual progression of workload. He finished Thursday with 91 pitches.

When he was called up from the minors May 11, Skenes immediately lived up to the lofty expectations pinned on the first selection in the 2023 major league draft. Skenes won his first six decisions and finished 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA over 23 starts. He struck out a club rookie record 170 in 133 innings.

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The Associated Press