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Phillies Hope to Reignite Winning Ways Against Marlins

Following Sunday's end to the 9-game winning streak, the Philadelphia Phillies will look to start another against the Miami Marlins.

Author:
Declan Harris
Jun 13, 2022 11:30 AM EDT

In this story:

Philadelphia Phillies

After nine games, the Philadelphia Phillies' winning streak has finally come to end.

The team seemed all but unstoppable with the starting lineup and rotation finally performing how they were expected to all season. Bryce Harper has played like he wants back-to-back MVP awards, slugging .433/.486/.967 with five home runs and 13 RBI during the streak.

Zack Wheeler delivers a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

From the mound, Zack Wheeler made a case why he should appear on the NL All-Star roster later in July. Across his last two starts, Wheeler struck out 17 batters while holding an ERA of 1.50 and a FIP of 1.05.

Following their 13-1 loss on Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Phillies will look to spark another run as they welcome the Miami Marlins to South Philadelphia.

The Marlins come into the series off of a hot streak, going 7-3 across their previous 10 games.

Much like Philadelphia's streak, Miami's had some pivotal members which helped the team get there.

First baseman Garrett Cooper slashed .500/.548/.714 during this stretch, and Jazz Chisholm, Jr. has been electric for Miami all season, but has hit four home runs and knocked in nine over his last seven games.

One Marlin that the Phillies will have to deal with is Sandy Alcantara. The right-hander has been pitching like a Cy Young candidate in 2022, pitching to an ERA of 1.86 and a FIP of 2.96.

Let's take a look at the pitching match-ups for this series:

Game One:

Phillies Starter: Aaron Nola (4-4, 3.50 ERA)

Marlins Starter: Sandy Alcantara (6-2, 1.61 ERA)

Nola has been splitting the spotlight as of late with Wheeler in Philadelphia's rotation. Nola's previous start against the Brewers was a masterclass, pitching eight innings while fanning six batters.

As previously mentioned, Alcantara has been nothing but untouchable as of late. Across his previous two starts, Alcantara has an ERA of 0.00, along with a FIP of 1.76.

First Pitch: Monday, 7:05 p.m. EST

Where to Watch: NBCSP/94.1 WIP

Game Two:

Phillies Starter: Zach Eflin (2-4, 3.76)

Marlins Starter: Trevor Rogers (3-5, 5.58 ERA)

In Eflin's most recent start against the Brewers, he only went four innings, while allowing three walks and one run. He'll look to bounce back from his start against Miami in April, where he allowed four runs across four innings.

Rogers' start to the season hasn't gone quite as planned, holding an ERA of 5.58. This is a far cry from where Rogers was last year, when he finished the season with a 2.64 ERA, and was a runner-up in the NL Rookie of the Year race and an All-Star.

First Pitch: 7:05 p.m. EST

Where to Watch: NBCSP/94.1 WIP

Game Three:

Phillies Starter: Kyle Gibson (4-2, 4.41 ERA)

Marlins Starter: Pablo López (4-2, 2.30 ERA)

The Phillies hand the ball to Gibson as they close the series against the Marlins. In his previous outing, Gibson pitched six innings while allowing four hits and fanning four batters.

López, who was named the NL Pitcher of the Month in April, has been solid for Miami all season. Since April, López has pitched eight games, holding an ERA of 3.26 and a FIP of 3.95. One of Lopez's starts in April came against Philadelphia, where he went 5.1 innings while allowing four hits and no runs.

First Pitch: 1:05 p.m. EST

Where to Watch: NBC 10/MLB Network/94.1 WIP

Players to Watch:

Phillies: Bryce Harper

Bryce Harper rounds second base after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Angels.
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Harper has been on another level in the past month and a half, slugging .357/.406/.729. As a whole, Harper places himself in the 99th percentile for xWOBA, xBA, and xSLG, according to Baseball Savant. Earlier on in the season, Harper slugged .313/.368/.688 against the Marlins. Harper is trending towards earning NL Player of the Month for June, an award he hasn't received since April 2016.

Marlins: Sandy Alcantara

Sandy Alcantara winds up to throw a pitch.
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Alcantara has been a difficult code for opposing hitters to crack this season. So far, Alcantara placed within the top 9% of the league in xBA, xSLG, xWOBA, and xERA. In April, Alcantara allowed seven hits and struck out five batters against Philadelphia. It'll certainly be a challenge, but the Phillies must try to set aside Sunday's loss to the Diamondbacks and come out strong against the Marlins' ace.