Fastball

Paul Skenes and Sandy Alcantara Set to Join Extremely Rare History in Opening Day Matchup

Skenes, the ace of the Pittsburgh Pirates, will battle against Alcantara, the ace of the Marlins on March 27. Skenes is the reigning National League Rookie of the Year while Alcantara is a former Cy Young winner.

Brady Farkas

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) walks on the field before the game against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Feb. 26.
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) walks on the field before the game against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Feb. 26. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
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When the Pittsburgh Pirates take on the Miami Marlins on Opening Day this March 27, some rare history is going to be achieved, according to Sarah Langs of MLB.com:

Paul Skenes (vs Sandy Alcantara) will be the second reigning Rookie of the Year to start Opening Day on the mound opposite a pitcher who had previously won a Cy Young, joining:

Carl Morton, the 1970 NL ROY who started on Opening Day in '71 against Tom Seaver

h/t @Spokes_Murphy

It's been a whirlwind year for the former No. 1 pick in the draft, as Skenes made his debut early last season, then started the All-Star Game for the National League, then ended the year as the National League Rookie of the Year, and now he draws the Opening Day start.

He went 11-3 last year with a 1.96 ERA, striking out out 170 batters in just 133.0 innings. He looks to be the cornerstone of the Pirates organization moving forward. He'll pair with fellow flamethrower Jared Jones and veteran Mitch Keller at the top of the team's rotation.

As for Alcantara, he'll be making his first start since the 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He's looked excellent the spring, repeatedly popping in upper-90s with his fastball.

Alcantara went 7-12 with a 4.14 ERA back in 2023, missing the the Marlins playoff run that season as they earned a wild card berth.

Alcantara won the National League Cy Young Award in 2022 when he went 14-9 with a 2.28 ERA. Now 29 years old, he is 41-55 for his career. He owns a 3.32 ERA.

Alcantara was one of many disastrous pitching injuries for the Marlins in 2024. They lost Alcantara and Eury Perez for the season to Tommy John, while also missing Jesus Luzardo and Braxton Garrett for large portions of the year.

Garrett is out for all of this season with his own Tommy John operation and Luzardo has been dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Related MLB Stories

SKENES OPENING DAY START: Paul Skenes will start on Opening Day for the Pittsburgh Pirates, making some great history in his own right. CLICK HERE:

OPENING DAY READY: Gunnar Henderson, battling an intercostal strain, hopes to be ready when the Orioles take the field on March 27. CLICK HERE:

NFL DRAFT SZN: With the NFL Draft coming to Green Bay this April, the Milwaukee Brewers are set to capitalize with this awesome ballpark giveaway. CLICK HERE:

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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