Sandy Alcantara on empty stands after complete game: ‘fans not here, but we still love them’

Sandy Alcantara is off to a dominant start to the season with the Miami Marlins, looking sharp on the mound and raising expectations after throwing a complete game against the Chicago White Sox. However, he also couldn’t ignore the lack of fan support despite the team’s strong performance.

“Fans not here, but we still love them,” Alcantara told Stephen Strom of the Marlins Radio Network, acknowledging the visibly empty ballpark. Attendance was just 6,605, and the numbers remained similarly low throughout the series.

With the Marlins now sitting at 5-1, outperforming teams like the Boston Red Sox who struggled early, there’s an expectation that fan turnout could improve. Still, it remains uncertain whether attendance will rise during the next home stretch, especially with college baseball also drawing attention at the same time.

When will the Marlins return home?

The Marlins will be back at home on April 6 against the Cincinnati Reds for a four-game series. That stretch could serve as a key indicator of whether attendance rebounds after historically low turnout against the Rockies and White Sox.

Dan Clark shared more context on X: “Just 19,687 fans combined attended the three games between the Marlins and the White Sox. Game 1: 6,515, Game 2: 6,667, Game 3: 6,505. It marks an historic new low in Miami Marlins history.”

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When will Alcantara pitch again at home?

Alcantara is expected to take the mound during the Reds series, likely on April 7 in Game 2 based on the current rotation. He would then be in line to pitch again at home during the next series against the Milwaukee Brewers, which begins April 18.