RADIO
Sandy Alcantara 2023 Player Outlook: An Easy Top Three SP Pick After the Cy Young Season
2 years agoThe Marlins' righty threw a ridiculous 228.2 innings in 2022, lapping the field (Aaron Nola finished second in innings way down at 205). He threw 197.1 innings in 2019, 42 in 2020, and then 205.2 in 2021 - continually proving that he's a legitimate workhorse who should project for 200+ innings once again in 2023. As if that's not enough, he posted an elite 2.28 ERA with a 0.98 WHIP on his way to the National League Cy Young Award. His arsenal is one of the best in the league; he threw four different pitches above 20% usage in 2022, a very rare thing to find - and all four of those pitches were effective. The only reason to criticize Alcantara would be if you are in some kind of strikeout rate league as opposed to a total strikeouts league. The 23% K% that Alcantara has posted over the last few seasons does fall well short of the league's other aces, but it hasn't hurt him in the past and won't hurt him in the future. Nobody will criticize you for taking Alcantara as the #1 pitcher off the board, he's one of the safest investments you can find at the position.
