Sandy a finalist for NL Cy Young after dominant ‘22

MIAMI -- Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara is one step closer to making franchise history.

Alcantara was named a finalist for the 2022 National League Cy Young Award alongside Braves lefty Max Fried and Dodgers southpaw Julio Urías on Monday night . The winner, as voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America before the postseason began, will be announced at 6 p.m. ET on Nov. 16.

• 2022 BBWAA Award finalists

The 27-year-old Alcantara, who is vying to become the first Marlin to capture the award, joins José Fernández (2013), Dontrelle Willis ('05) and Kevin Brown (1996) as the only Top 3 finishers in club history. Alcantara would be just the third Dominican-born pitcher to win (Bartolo Colon in '05 and Pedro Martinez in '00, '99, '97).

• All-time NL Cy Young winners

As the season wound down and Alcantara continued to dominate, the humble starter avoided taking the bait when asked whether he should receive the honor. He finally caved during an in-game interview with Bally Sports Florida on Oct. 1.

"So right now I think I do," Alcantara said, "because the job and everything that I've been doing during the season, going outside every fifth day, fighting for my team, trying to get better, trying to compete. I think I deserve it, man."

In 32 starts this year, Alcantara posted a 2.28 ERA (the second lowest in NL) with MLB highs for innings (228 2/3) and complete games (six) -- both marks the most in the Majors in six years. Neither Fried nor Urías went the distance in 2022. Alcantara also tossed eight or more frames in 14 of his starts, the most by a pitcher since 2014. Known more as a ground-ball pitcher, he became the first Marlin with consecutive 200-strikeout seasons. Alcantara's historic campaign followed his signing of a five-year, $56 million extension on Nov. 30, 2021.

After they dueled on Sept. 30 in Milwaukee, reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes gave his seal of approval: “Yeah, he’d be the Cy Young for me this year. What he’s done as far as going deep into games, doing it start in and start out, he doesn’t have many blow-up outings. He goes out there and gives them seven, eight or nine innings, and gives them a chance to win."

The Marlins shut Alcantara down following that eight-inning complete-game loss to the Brewers due to his workload, keeping an eye on his long-term health. Then-manager Don Mattingly and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. both believed Alcantara had done enough to win the Cy Young.

Here's how the 2022 finalists stack up in several categories:

• bWAR: Alcantara (5.7), Fried (5.0), Urías (3.2)

• ERA: Urías (2.16), Alcantara (2.28), Fried (2.48)

• WHIP: Urías (0.96), Alcantara (0.98), Fried (1.01)

• Innings: Alcantara (228 2/3), Fried (185 1/3), Urías (175)

• Quality starts: Alcantara (24), Fried (21), Urías (19)

"It was just amazing to be back there with him for it – [it] was really cool," Marlins catcher Jacob Stallings told MLB.com before the 2022 finale. "As the season went on, I really wanted to catch every pitch and every out, and [I] was able to do that. If he wins the Cy Young, I think only three other catchers have done that in history."

Alcantara already has acquired some hardware, taking home NL Outstanding Pitcher as part of the Players Choice Awards and Baseball Digest/eBay MLB Pitcher of the Year. He also was the NL Pitcher of the Month for June.

"Everybody in the game knows who Sandy Alcantara is now," Stottlemyre said over the season's final weekend. "The hitters know, the fans know, and that's a tribute to him, and a nice feather in the cap for the organization, too."