Marlins vs. Braves: Start time, how to watch, game thread and Fish Picks—August 21, 2019

Welcome to Wednesday’s Marlins (45-79) vs. Braves (75-52) game thread.

Throughout the 2019 season, Fish Stripes is your home for daily Fish Picks prop bets. Each monthly points leader for August and September wins Fish Stripes merchandise prizes. We’re also saving something special for the overall full-season points leader.

Browse through our regular store here, or be the first to own this original t-shirt celebrating the Marlins’ home run sunglasses tradition!

“We Just Homered!” t-shirt

• $28

Be the first to own this new BreakingT/Fish Stripes collaboration, celebrating Isan Díaz and the Marlins’ newest home run celebration. Only available here!

• $28 at BreakingT

The Fish Picks leaderboard will update daily to let you know where you stand.

Marlins Lineup

1. SS Jon Berti
2. 2B Isan Díaz
3. RF Brian Anderson
4. 1B Neil Walker
5. 3B Starlin Castro
6. LF Curtis Granderson
7. C Jorge Alfaro
8. CF Lewis Brinson
9. P Caleb Smith (3.63 ERA, 4.44 FIP, 29.0 K%, 36.7 Hard Hit% in 111.2 IP)

Notes: Full article coming shortly, but Brinson’s offensive struggles over such a large MLB sample have reached a historically unfortunate benchmark. His 45 wRC+ in the big leagues—100 is league average—is the worst of the modern era for any outfielder with at least 600 plate appearances through his age-25 season. Given the current Marlins roster construction, it makes sense to continue starting him regularly in center down the stretch. I just don’t see any way to justify a role for him in 2020 unless he flips a switch ASAP...Pablo López make another rehab start for Triple-A New Orleans tonight. Assuming he has decent results and is able to further build up his pitch count, the expectation is that the talented right-hander will rejoin the Marlins rotation next week...Speaking of Triple-A, we’re inching closer to learning what the rebranded Baby Cakes will look like upon relocating to Wichita, Kansas. The name and logo unveiling is scheduled for mid-November.

Braves Lineup

1. CF Ronald Acuña Jr.
2. 2B Ozzie Albies
3. 1B Freddie Freeman
4. 3B Josh Donaldson
5. LF Adam Duvall
6. RF Charlie Culberson
7. C Tyler Flowers
8. SS Adeiny Hechavarría
9. P Julio Teheran (3.71 ERA, 4.54 FIP, 21.3 K%, 36.1 Hard Hit% in 138.1 IP)

Notes: As first reported by Eric Cole of Talking Chop, the Braves have brought up catcher Alex Jackson to fill Brian McCann’s roster spot (left knee sprain). Jackson actually faced the Marlins in his MLB debut on April 7. Overall, he went hitless in 10 at-bats during that cup of coffee before being optioned to Triple-A...This is the 15th consecutive game that the Braves hav hade Acuña-Albies-Freeman-Donaldson atop their lineup in that exact order. Must be nice to have continuity! (and good hitters)

Baseball Savant

How to watch/listen/follow

The game gets underway at 7:20 p.m. ET. Watch on FOX Sports Florida and via MLB.TV or listen on 940 WINZ.

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 scores first? (Marlins/Braves)
2. Over/Under 6.5 Caleb Smith strikeouts? (Over/Under)
3. Over/Under 2:58 time of game? (Over/Under)
4. Will there be a save recorded? (Yes/No)
5. Who wins? (Marlins/Braves)