Marlins vs. Rays: Start time, how to watch, game thread and Fish Picks—September 5, 2020

Welcome to Saturday’s Marlins (16-17) vs. Rays (27-12) game thread. The Citrus Series always promises to be a fun time (except for last weekend—that sweep was brutal to watch).

Fish Picks is BACK and better than ever! Our free-to-play daily prop bets contest is open to all fans. Courtesy of a new Fish Stripes partnership with Fantom Drip, weekly points leaders will win their choice of a Marlins face covering (five different varieties available) or the exclusive Fish Stripes design. The 2020 full-season points leader gets their pick of two new Marlins-themed t-shirts.

Miami Marlins Brian Anderson 15 Face Cover

• $12

• $12 at Fantom Drip

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

Marlins Lineup

1. 2B Jon Berti
2. CF Starling Marte
3. 1B Jesús Aguilar
4. 3B Brian Anderson
5. RF Lewis Brinson
6. LF Harold Ramirez
7. DH Corey Dickerson
8. C Jorge Alfaro
9. SS Miguel Rojas

P Sandy Alcantara (5.06 ERA, 6.51 FIP, 19.6 K%, 46.9 Hard Hit% in 10.2 IP)

Baseball Savant

Notes: For the first time in six weeks and on the eve of his 26th birthday, my man Harold Ramirez is in the lineup. He’s a .273/.311/.411 (91 wRC+) career hitter since debuting in 2019 and will presumably start whenever the Marlins face a left-handed starter. Eddy Alvarez was optioned to the alternate training site as the corresponding move...Throughout the season, the Marlins bullpen has been lacking in swing and miss ability, but Friday was a refreshing change. Alex Vesia, Nick Vincent, Richard Bleier and James Hoyt combined for seven strikeouts over four scoreless frames. Full recap here from our new Fish Stripes intern Daniel Rodriguez...Exactly one year ago, journeyman reliever Brian Moran made his major league debut in Pittsburgh, claiming younger brother Colin Moran as his first-ever strikeout victim. B. Moran is currently on the injured list with right knee patellar tendinitis.

Rays Lineup

1. SS Joey Wendle
2. 2B Brandon Lowe
3. 1B Ji-Man Choi
4. LF Austin Meadows
5. 3B Nate Lowe
6. RF Hunter Renfroe
7. DH Yoshi Tsutsugo
8. CF Kevin Kiermaier
9. C Michael Perez

P Blake Snell (3.14 ERA, 4.67 FIP, 31.9 K%, 38.6 Hard Hit% in 28.2 IP)

Baseball Savant

Notes: The Rays enter the night having won 21 of their previous 25 games, matching the best 25-game stretch in franchise history.

How to watch/listen/follow

The first pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET. Watch on FOX Sports Florida and via MLB.TV or listen on 940 WINZ. All Marlins team broadcasters will remain in South Florida, calling the game remotely.

Fish Picks

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

1. Which starting pitcher lasts longer? (Alcantara/Snell)
2. Over/Under 15.5 total hits? (Over/Under)
3. Over/Under 2.5 total bases for Harold Ramirez? (Over/Under)
4. Will there be a save recorded? (Yes/No)
5. Who wins? (Marlins/Rays)