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Game Thread 149: Marlins at Phillies

NL East rivals closing out their season series (mercifully).

Miami Marlins v Philadelphia Phillies

Please leave any Icthy picks in the comments below. Remember, we introduced a new grand prize for the contest this season.

9/16/18 Probable Starters

Name Team IP ERA FIP K% fWAR
Name Team IP ERA FIP K% fWAR
José Ureña Marlins 157.1 4.29 4.16 18.8% 1.6
Nick Pivetta Phillies 149.1 4.61 3.78 27.4% 2.6
FanGraphs

Today's Lineups

MARLINS PHILLIES
JT Riddle - SS Cesar Hernandez - 2B
Miguel Rojas - 3B Rhys Hoskins - LF
Starlin Castro - 2B Asdrubal Cabrera - 3B
Derek Dietrich - 1B Carlos Santana - 1B
Peter O'Brien - RF Odubel Herrera - RF
Lewis Brinson - CF J.P. Crawford - SS
Austin Dean - LF Jorge Alfaro - C
Bryan Holaday - C Nick Pivetta - RHP
Jose Urena - RHP Roman Quinn - CF

Matchup Summary

Marlins manager Don Mattingly pointed to Saturday’s game as an example of why change is needed in Major League Baseball (h/t Clark Spencer, Miami Herald). Not because his team lost, but because the fans had to sit through a deluge of substitutions. It was historic, actually.

There shouldn’t be nearly as much of that in the series finale.

José Ureña and Jake Arrieta are trusted to provide some length. Hard to tell who has the edge.

I’m an idiot: Nick Pivetta started for the Phils. But the Ureña/Arrieta comparison is still kind of interesting, right?

This will be Miami’s 19th and final meeting with the Phillies. That’s a bummer for third baseman Asdrúbal Cabrera—in 17 combined games with the Phils and Mets, Cabrera has slugged seven home runs and posted a .937 OPS against Fish pitching in 2018.

Meanwhile, Sunday marks the first career major league start in right field for Peter O’Brien. If the 28-year-old can demonstrate legitimate defensive versatility down the stretch, it bodes well for his chances to stick with the organization into next season.

Thread Question: Is Justin Bour happy in his situation with the Phillies? The team is still alive in the NL Wild Card race, but Bour’s being limited to pinch-hitting duties during the prime of his career.