Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara will start for the Dominican Republic against Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. The game, set for March 11 at loanDepot park in Miami, concludes Pool D action. Alcantara aims to redeem his performance from the 2023 tournament.
JUPITER, Fla. – Dominican Republic manager Albert Pujols announced on Tuesday that Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara will start against Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. The matchup is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on March 11 at loanDepot park and will air on FS1.
Alcantara, the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner, expressed excitement about the opportunity. “I saw [it] in the media, because he said it on a podcast in the DR,” Alcantara told MLB.com on Wednesday. “I'm very excited to pitch that day. It's a great opportunity for me. It doesn't matter which game I'm going to pitch, I just want to be out there and do my best.”
This will be Alcantara's second start against Venezuela in the WBC. In the 2023 tournament opener at loanDepot park, he allowed three runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts before exiting in the fourth inning of a 5-1 loss. The Dominican Republic failed to advance from Pool D, marking one of the event's surprises.
Ahead of the game, Alcantara plans to pitch two innings on a back field in Jupiter this Friday before joining the Dominican Republic's camp. He anticipates throwing three innings or 60-65 pitches in the pool play contest.
Teammate and Marlins catcher Agustín Ramírez, also representing the Dominican Republic, highlighted the atmosphere. “It's good, versus Venezuela, a lot of energy at that game and a lot of emotion,” Ramírez said. “I waited for that moment. [There will be] a lot of people. Talking about it three days ago with Eury [Pérez], the last WBC in 2023, he told me a little bit about the game. It's really good, and a lot of energy.”
The game carries added intrigue within the Marlins organization, which has nine players on its 40-man roster competing for six countries. Venezuela's roster includes Marlins utility player Javier Sanoja, a National League Gold Glove winner. “I think it's a beautiful match,” Sanoja said via interpreter Luis Dorante Jr. “That's the beauty of this game, that it always gives you the opportunity to go and try it again. I wish him the best, but I wish that we can also win the game.”
Alcantara, 30, returns after a challenging season following Tommy John surgery, posting a 5.36 ERA—second-highest among qualifying Major League starters—but rebounding with a 2.68 ERA over his final eight starts. He has been named Miami's Opening Day starter for a franchise-record sixth time.
Marlins manager Clayton McCullough praised the assignment. “I love that,” McCullough said. “That's great for Sandy. The WBC already adds a level of excitement, and I'm sure the chance for him to pitch against Venezuela adds a little bit more spice to the tournament and his outings... For him to have that start against Venezuela, that certainly is going to be an electric atmosphere at loanDepot, and to go do that representing the DR, I think it's really cool. No one on that team [is] more deserving."
