Alcantara recorded five strikeouts and only issued one walk. A pair of solo home runs courtesy of Trea Turner and Max Kepler accounted for all of the damage against him in this one. The 29-year-old righty didn’t get enough run support to avoid being saddled with a loss, but he’s clearly turned things around since the calendar flipped to June, allowing two earned runs or fewer in each of his last three starts. He isn’t producing astronomical strikeout totals, but the fact that he isn’t getting lit up each time he takes the mound is a significant step in the right direction. We’re almost back at the point where he can be trusted again for fantasy purposes. He’ll carry an underwhelming 6.88 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and 55/32 K/BB ratio across 68 innings (14 starts) into a home matchup on Sunday against Atlanta.

The Marlins worked with Alcantara a few bullpens ago on changing that focus to help improve his command. McCullough believes that switch “got him driving the ball through the mitt and finishing his pitches.” Alcantara has also added some more swing and miss by using his curve and four-seam more than he was earlier in the season. While some of his recent success is due to easy opponents, it’s also clear that Alcantara is making changes and adapting post-surgery. He’s probably worth holding on your roster, even if you don’t start him against Philadelphia next time out.

It was kind of the Marlins to have Alcantara pitch on six days’ rest tonight against the hapless Pirates instead of on four days’ rest Sunday against the Rays. It led to his best line of the season, with just three hits and one walk allowed. If nothing else, back-to-back quality starts against the Rockies and Pirates has to be great for Alcantara’s confidence. Now 3-7 with a 7.14 ERA, he’s due more of a test next time out against the Phillies. If he performs well again then, maybe he can go back to being counted on in mixed leagues.

He allowed four hits, walked one and struck out four while going six innings for the second time this year. Statistically, it’s Alcantara’s best outing since returning from Tommy John, but it doesn’t seem like anything to get excited about; he was facing a Rockies team that’s hit .194 and scored 2.46 runs per game on the road. Alcantara will likely make his next start Sunday against the Pirates, unless the Marlins want to hold him back until Tuesday versus the Rays instead. That he threw just 70 pitches tonight should make it easier to bring him back on four days’ rest.