Zac Gallen and Sandy Alcantara Square Off in Marquee Matchup

The Diamondbacks (8-7) play the Marlins (8-7) in loanDepot Park, Miami today at 10:40 A.M. MST.

The Marlins won the first two games of the series, and the D-backs will be under pressure to get the bats going if they are to stay at least tied for first place with the Dodgers. They've scored just three runs in the previous two games and things don't get any easier today as they'll face last year's Cy Young award winner Sandy Alcantara. The D-backs counter with their ace Zac Gallen, who finished fifth in the voting last year.

PITCHING MATCHUP

The above stat line for Gallen could be a bit misleading. He had rough outings in his first two starts, perhaps due to adjusting to the pitch timer. But he was dominant against the Brewers on April 10th. Gallen threw seven scoreless innings giving up just three hits, walking one, and striking out 11 in a 3-0 D-backs win.

Alcantara was rocked by the Phillies in his last start, giving up 10 hits and nine runs in just four innings of work. In the start before that he fired a three hit shutout against the Twins. Gallen of course is a former Marlin, having come over in a July 2019 deadline trade in exchange for Jazz Chisholm. Both Gallen and Alcantara had been acquired by the Marlins from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Marcell Ozuna. Needless to say, the Cardinals regret that trade.

Gallen has faced his former team one time, in 2022. He pitched into the 7th inning, allowing just two runs in a 5-4 D-backs victory. This is Alcantara's 4th career start vs. Arizona. He is 0-1 with three no decisions. But in the most recent start last year he went seven innings giving up just two hits and one run. He will come out the D-backs hitters with high 90's sinker's and four seamers, and mix in sharp sliders and devastating changeups almost equally.

LINEUPS

Ketel Marte is out of the lineup today. He was hit on the foot by a pitch in yesterday's game. His only other day off was also a Sunday day game, last week.

Josh Rojas is atop the order. He has a .390 batting average and .435 on base percentage, (16-41 with four walks). He's 1-6 against Alcantara with two walks, but the one hit was a homer in 2021.

Jose Herrera is behind the plate to do the catching. He is apparently the day game catcher, spelling Gabriel Moreno after night games. He's caught Gallen one other time this season, April 4th against San Diego. Gallen gave up 5 runs, four earned on seven hits including two homers in that game.

Last year Herrera caught Gallen 11 times. Gallen's ERA was 3.25 in those games, vs. 1.84 the 18 times that Carson Kelly caught him.

Jupiter FL. native Pavin Smith will get to play in front of family and friends today and is batting third as the DH.

Chisholm is the leadoff batter for the Marlins playing centerfield. The first time he faced Gallen last year he went 0-3. MLB Batting leader Luis Arraez is back in the lineup after missing two starts. He pinch hit yesterday and had an RBI base hit, raising his average to .511, (24 for 47)