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After Giancarlo Stanton ensured that the Marlins' bullpen struggles wouldn't lead to another loss with a walk-off grand slam on Friday night, Miami is looking to take game two of the interleague series with Seattle on Saturday. Henderson Alvarez will be on the mound for the Marlins.
Pitching Matchup
| PROJ ERA | FIP | ERA | MARLINS | Mariners | ERA | FIP | PROJ ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.03 | 4.02 | 4.30 | Alvarez | Elias | 2.16 | 3.91 | 4.41 |
Alvarez has yet to prove that he can be the successful and efficient starter that he was at the end of last season. He has had trouble throwing strikes at times, and the lack of an overwhelming fastball has led to early losses.
Alvarez went six innings in his last outing against the Phillies, giving up three runs while walking three and striking out five.
Elias, a lefty, went six and two third innings in his last start against the Rangers, giving up one run while walking a pair and striking out five.
Lineups
Facing the left-handed Elias, Casey McGehee slides into the cleanup spot. Garrett Jones is not in the lineup (4-18 against LHP this year), and Jeff Baker is replacing him at first base instead. A platoon may be imminent but is not yet official.
Donovan Solano is replacing Derek Dietrich at second base, making Yelich the only left-handed hitter in the lineup. Redmond has come to the realization that his starting lefties haven't faired well against left-handed pitching early.
Notes
-Can the offense score early? Miami scored a pair of runs early on Friday, and will look to do the same against Elias.
-Will the defense be a factor? The Marlins haven't played solid defense of late, although Dietrich's struggles won't be apparent because he is not in the lineup.
Bold Prediction: Marlins def. Mariners 6-5