Go behind the scenes of Sandy’s workout routine

This story was excerpted from Christina De Nicola’s Marlins Beat publication. To learn the complete publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it usually in your inbox.

Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara‘s exercise routine has turn into the stuff of legend.

Sure, Alcantara as soon as was a extremely touted prospect with limitless potential. But he did not evolve into the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner by chance. Following his first full MLB season in ’19, throughout which he made the NL All-Star staff, Alcantara needed to achieve the subsequent degree.

“If you want to be like a big guy, or like a big leader, you’ve got to start working nonstop,” Alcantara stated. “When you put yourself in the right spot and work hard, and hard with consistency and dedication, you don’t need to worry about it because you’re there. You don’t need to change anything. You’ve got to keep doing what you’re doing.”

Since that 2019-20 offseason, Alcantara has executed the Marlins’ plan at Pinecrest Strength & Conditioning. President Ron Yacoub, a licensed power and conditioning specialist, and Alcantara first crossed paths throughout Alcantara’s rookie season in ’18, when the pitcher visited the then-Marlins rehab advisor with a small abscess on his arm. Yacoub, who helped the late José Fernández rehab from Tommy John surgical procedure, took excellent care of Alcantara — one thing the flamethrower remembered when deciding to coach at Yacoub’s facility through the offseason.

Once the common season is over, Alcantara comes out and in in October earlier than ramping issues up in November. This winter, he has scheduled that round journeys to the Dominican Republic and Cy Young Award-related festivities. He additionally has had a exercise companion: Eury Pérez, MLB Pipeline’s No. 3 right-handed pitching prospect. The 19-year-old Pérez, who shares the identical agent in Adriel Reyes, desires to observe in Alcantara’s footsteps.

“He’s a man on a mission, and he’s been a man on his mission since we talked that first offseason,” Yacoub stated of Alcantara. “All kudos to him. He came in with the talent, and now the drive, and it’s all him that’s done it. We’re just keeping the machine moving in a forward direction, and we’re lucky to be a part of it.”

On a Friday morning in January, Pérez is unable to coach as a result of he’s sick. That does not cease Alcantara from going about his offseason routine. After arm care to get free, Alcantara is able to throw. Without Pérez, he turns to one of many facility’s different patrons — former teammate and present Mets right-hander Elieser Hernandez. Alcantara’s brother Rafelind, who as soon as signed with the Cardinals, retains a watchful eye.

It’s not a bullpen day, so as soon as Alcantara is finished throwing from so far as 105 ft, it is time for a similar complete physique exercise he does Monday by means of Friday, from 9 a.m. to round 1 p.m. Alcantara credit it for his consistency.

While carrying a Sandy’s Beach “El Caballo” T-shirt he has lower right into a tank, Alcantara makes use of each machine on the facility. Exercises vary from squats to shoulder presses to lunges, and the weights rely upon the kind of elevate. He does 5 units of 12-15 reps to construct his endurance. Before heading out, Alcantara finishes with arm care. “Tití Me Preguntó” blares from a close-by speaker, enjoying music he streams from his cellphone. 

“We call it the ‘Sandy Workout’ because he comes in here, does all his exercises,” stated Chris Altieri, a health care provider of bodily remedy who focuses on baseball rehab and efficiency, “and that’s why Sandy is Sandy. He’s just grazing around, and he’ll spend all day here. He’ll talk with everybody here, but he’s working the entire time that he’s here. There’s always a purpose to what he’s doing.”

Yacoub and his workers, which incorporates coordinator Richard Jackson, DPT, will preserve a watchful eye to make sure Alcantara is utilizing correct type. The routine stays the identical — simply with much less quantity in-season. Alcantara focuses on utilizing his muscle mass the best means and hitting each muscle group, repeating and realizing when to extend depth. Over the final two years, the exercise has been refined to be tailored for Alcantara, who is aware of his physique higher than anybody.

“That’s my routine,” he stated. “I don’t need to change anything, I don’t need to add anything, because I got really good results with my routine since I started getting here. I’ve got to keep doing my routine, work hard, doing the same every day: in the offseason, during Spring Training and during the season. It’s something that I created, and it’s something that gives me the result.”