JUPITER, Fla. -- Finding a way to get outs without his best command was the biggest takeaway for Sandy Alcantara on Tuesday in the Marlins’ 3-1 win over the Mets at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

The 23-year-old right-hander is considered a front-runner for a rotation spot and currently is lined up to pitch the fourth game of the regular season. But nothing has formally been announced.

Alcantara threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit with four walks and three strikeouts. Of the 59 pitches he threw, 30 were balls.

“Today, I felt a little bit uncomfortable because I was like, all around the place, not around the zone,” Alcantara said through an interpreter. “I was just doing my best to throw the ball [in the zone].”

Alcantara is continuing to work on his curveball and slider, while his fastball touched as high as 97 mph Tuesday. His two-seam fastball (or sinker) had plenty of movement.

“He’s got good stuff,” catcher Jorge Alfaro said. “His two-seam was running a lot into the righties, but he made the adjustment. He competed with all he had. It was a good start.”

Whenever he got into a little bit of a bind, Alcantara was able to make a pitch, or receive the backing of his defense. In the first inning, he issued a two-out walk to Keon Broxton, but retired Michael Conforto on a grounder to second base. In the third inning, he had runners on the corners when Alfaro threw out Danny Espinosa trying to steal second to end the threat.

“I never gave up,” Alcantara said. “Every time I threw a ball, I was making sure the next pitch was in the strike zone. Just doing that, hit the strike zone.”

In three Grapefruit League starts, Alcantara has walked eight and struck out nine in 7 2/3 innings.

“We’re going to walk some guys,” manager Don Mattingly said. “We’re young. We’ve got power arms. Sometimes it’s going to get away from us, but we want the thought process, more than anything else, to be aggressive and to get after the strike zone.”

Testing the knee

Alfaro, who had two at-bats Monday as the designated hitter, made his first appearance catching Tuesday since he bruised his right knee on Feb. 23.

Alfaro appeared to aggravate the knee in the second inning, sliding into second base. But it turns out he is fine and he ended up catching four total innings. He also went 2-for-2 at the plate with a couple of singles.

“Sliding into second base, I got stuck,” Alfaro said. “It wasn’t because I felt something in my knee. I just got stuck to the base. I got too close to the base, but everything is fine.”

Alfaro adjusted the compression sleeve on his knee and walked tenderly toward the dugout.

“They asked me how I felt and all that,” Alfaro said. “I felt good all four innings I played. Two at-bats, running the bases, I felt good.”

Alfaro singled in the second inning and moved to second on Lewis Brinson’s single. With one out, Rosell Herrera lined to center. Alfaro, thinking the ball may drop for a hit, was far off the base when Broxton made the catch. Alfaro was doubled-up at second.

Before play was resumed, Alfaro re-emerged from the dugout to catch in the third inning.

“The key is getting some treatment and getting the swelling better and better,” Alfaro said.

The Marlins are thin at catcher, with Chad Wallach nursing a right quad strain. Wallach could see game action in a few days.

Lefty reliever competition

A couple of left-handed relievers vying for a bullpen spot each came through in successive high-leverage innings Tuesday.

Jarlin Garcia, 26, has spent parts of 2017-18 with the Marlins as either a starter or reliever. His role is back in the ‘pen.

And the club's No. 28 prospect per MLB Pipeline, Jose Quijada, 23, is in his first big league camp. The southpaw impressed last year at Double-A Jacksonville and Triple-A New Orleans, combining for a 3.00 ERA in 63 innings.

“Jose, obviously, is younger, but touched Triple-A last year and he’s on the move,” Mattingly said. “This is his first camp.”

Quijada worked around a broken bat leadoff single in the ninth inning and picked up the save.

Garcia tossed a scoreless eighth inning, allowing one hit en route to being credited with the win.

“Jarlin, it’s just always about refinement and making sure we’re hitting spots and not trying to move the radar gun,” Mattingly said, referencing attempts to overpower hitters. “I thought he was pretty good.”

Up next

The Marlins have a split-squad day Wednesday. Nick Neidert, Miami’s No. 4-rated prospect, will make his first Grapefruit League start. He goes against the Braves, who are going with Bryse Wilson on the hill at 1:05 p.m. ET at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Miami also will face the Astros at West Palm Beach, with Trevor Richards starting in a matchup with Brad Peacock also at 1:05 p.m. ET.