Marlins vs. Twins: Start time, how to watch, game thread and Fish Picks—July 31, 2019

Welcome to Wednesday’s Twins (65-41) vs. Marlins (41-64) game thread.

Throughout the 2019 season, Fish Stripes is your home for daily Fish Picks prop bets. The monthly points leader for July, August, etc. wins Fish Stripes merchandise prizes. We’re also saving something special for the overall full-season points leader. The best seller in our store: Caleb “KKKKKKKaleb” Smith shirts!

Grid View

Coming up on the final game, this is the most competitive month that the contest has had all season! Can anybody dethrone our two-time defending champ Scooter (@ghog56)? The Fish Picks leaderboard will update daily to let you know where you stand.

Twins Lineup

1. RF Max Kepler
2. SS Jorge Polanco
3. C Mitch Garver
4. LF Eddie Rosario
5. 3B Miguel Sanó
6. 1B Marwin Gonzalez
7. 2B Jonathan Schoop
8. CF Byron Buxton
9. P José Berrios (2.94 ERA, 3.81 FIP, 21.8 K%, 31.3 Hard Hit% in 134.2 IP)

Notes: This deep and mighty Twins offense scored only two runs in Tuesday’s series opener. Don’t count on that again—they haven’t been held to two runs or fewer in consecutive games since April 29-30.

Baseball Savant

Marlins Lineup

1. SS Miguel Rojas
2. RF Harold Ramirez
3. 3B Brian Anderson
4. 1B Neil Walker
5. 2B Starlin Castro
6. LF Curtis Granderson
7. C Jorge Alfaro
8. CF César Puello
9. P Sandy Alcantara (4.18 ERA, 4.76 FIP, 16.3 K%, 33.2 Hard Hit% in 118.1 IP)

Notes: The Marlins couldn’t swing deals for veterans Castro, Granderson or Walker as hoped, but they were plenty active anyway! They hooked up with the Diamondbacks on a 1-for-1 challenge trade, swapping Zac Gallen for shortstop prospect Jazz Chisholm. Then with the clock winding down, a four-player trade saw them ship out right-handers Trevor Richards and Nick Anderson for a package of right-handed reliever Ryne Stanek and outfield prospect Jesus Sánchez.

These moves were focused entirely on the long term, but it puts the Marlins at a disadvantage for the rest of this week considering that all three departing pitchers had been on the 25-man active roster. Right-hander Tyler Kinley and utility man Jon Berti are coming up from Triple-A New Orleans...This would’ve been José Fernández’s 27th birthday. Forever grateful for the joy he brought to all us.

How to watch/listen/follow

The game gets underway at 7:10 p.m. ET. Watch on FOX Sports Florida and via MLB.TV or listen on 940 WINZ.

Wednesday’s credentialed Fish Stripes writer is Daniel Toll (@DanielToll2002).

Fish Picks

Please comment below or tweet to @fishstripes with your picks for the following props. The contest locks at first pitch.

1. Which team gets the first hit? (Twins/Marlins)
2. Over/Under 3.5 Marlins runs? (Over/Under)
3. Over/Under 97.5 pitches for Sandy Alcantara? (Over/Under)
4. Will Sandy have a quality start? (Yes/No)
5. Who wins? (Twins/Marlins)