Marlins pitchers preparing to handle a season without Sandy

JUPITER, Fla. -- When Marlins pitchers finished stretching and divided into catching partners on Thursday morning, ace Sandy Alcantara stayed back for agility drills along the right-field line.

That is the reality of the 2024 Marlins, who will not be able to rely on Alcantara’s arm as he rehabs from Tommy John surgery. For an organization whose identity relies so heavily on starting pitching, the first day of pitchers and catchers workouts was symbolic. If this iteration of the club wants to return to the postseason for the second straight season, it will do so because of this group.

“Obviously, it's a big void to fill when you lose a Cy Young winner, and he's just such a leader in the clubhouse,” said left-hander Jesús Luzardo, who threw a bullpen to new catcher Christian Bethancourt on Thursday. “But he's around, and obviously he is there giving us his input, his advice all the time. So it's nice to still have him around. But ... I think guys are going to need to pick up a lot of innings.

“As a whole, I think we've got a lot of young guys on the staff. A lot of guys that again, are going to have to reach new PRs [personal records] in innings. So it's something that I think everyone takes it real serious -- that we've got to come out here and work real hard to stay healthy throughout the whole year.”

Luzardo, who was the subject of trade rumors this offseason, and southpaw Braxton Garrett, broke out in 2023. With Alcantara sidelined, the duo started National League Wild Card Series Games 1-2 and held their own. Flamethrowing right-hander Eury Pérez burst onto the national scene as a 20-year-old.

Manager Skip Schumaker hopes those young pitchers can take another step, and that guys like lefty Trevor Rogers can contribute coming back from injury. As of Thursday, there were no health restrictions among pitchers at camp.

“I think we have depth, which is nice,” Schumaker said. “A.J. Puk, Ryan Weathers. There's a lot of guys up and down that are going to be fighting for that fifth [rotation] spot in my opinion. There's nothing concrete about who we have. I think it's dangerous when you just set rotations or set lineups already this early in the season, especially in spring, and so I think there's competition. Competition brings out the best in everybody. I've said it before: Some guys run to it. Some guys run from it.”

That depth was on display on the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium backfields. Left-handers Puk and Rogers played catch together, and so did righties Pérez and Edward Cabrera. Other starting-pitching options Weathers, No. 3 prospect Max Meyer and righties George Soriano and Bryan Hoeing threw bullpen side sessions.

“It is very important for me and the rest of the team,” Pérez said via interpreter Luis Dorante Jr. “I need to help the team, knowing that Sandy's not going to help us. Got to get those innings, try to reach as many innings as I can and help the team.”

Even in a down season for the 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner, Alcantara finished with the 15th-highest fWAR and ninth-most innings among NL pitchers. Alcantara, who intends to travel with the club this season, was confident that the current group wouldn’t miss a beat.

“Yeah, why not?” Alcantara said. “I believe in my teammates. I believe in Luzardo, Cabrera, Eury. Braxton Garrett. I think everyone wants to do good. I just want to be sitting there, watching them, supporting my teammates.”