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Philadelphia Phillies Head to Miami for First Half Finale

The Philadelphia Phillies play a three-game set against the Miami Marlins for their final series before the All-Star break.

Author:
Leo Morgenstern
Jul 15, 2022 11:02 AM EDT

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Philadelphia Phillies

The last time the Philadelphia Phillies were in Miami, things didn’t go so well for them. The Phillies lost three of four games, falling below .500 for the first time in 2022. They were outscored 25 to 17.

Things went a little better for Philadelphia the next time these two teams met. The Marlins came to town for a three-game series, and the Phillies won two out of three games, outscoring their opponents 15-14.

That time around, Philadelphia came out of the series one game above .500.

Tonight, the Phillies head to Miami hoping to find their footing before the All-Star break. While they are still comfortably above .500 and just half a game back in the Wild Card race, Philadelphia has lost four straight, including a two-game sweep in Toronto. It would be nice if they could regain some momentum before the first half of the season ends.

The Marlins, however, will also be looking to finish off the first half on a high note. If they can sweep the Phillies, they will head into the All-Star break one game over .500.

Miami has not finished above .500 in the first half since 2016, when they were led by Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, J.T. Realmuto, and José Fernández. Before that, they had not finished the first half with a winning record since 2009.

Here’s what to expect in the upcoming series.

Game One:

Phillies Starter: Kyle Gibson (4-3, 4.53 ERA)

Marlins Starter: Sandy Alcantara (9-3, 1.73 ERA)

Kyle Gibson was dominant in his last start for the Phillies.
© Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Kyle Gibson was masterful in his last start, holding the St. Louis Cardinals scoreless over seven dominant innings.

The start before, however, was a bit of a disaster for Gibson. He gave up four straight home runs in the first inning, and although he demonstrated admirable resolve by staying in the game for three more innings, he did not look sharp at all that day.

Unfortunately for the Phillies, Gibson will be facing off against one of the sharpest and most consistent pitchers in baseball this season: Sandy Alcantara. The NL Cy Young contender has already faced Philadelphia twice this season, throwing two quality starts.

First Pitch: Friday, 6:40 P.M. EST

Where to Watch/Listen: NBCSP, 94 WIP

Game Two:

Phillies Starter: TBA

Marlins Starter: TBA

Neither team has officially announced a starting pitcher yet for Saturday’s contest.

The Phillies might be hoping to start Ranger Suárez, who is eligible to come off the injured list this weekend. After Suárez threw a strong bullpen session on Tuesday, manager Rob Thomson seemed optimistic the left-hander could return for the series in Miami.

The Marlins, meanwhile, are planning to start top prospect Max Meyer on Saturday. The third overall pick from the 2020 draft has excelled in the minor leagues, and he will pose a challenge for the Phillies in his MLB debut.

First Pitch: Saturday, 4:10 P.M. EST

Where to Watch/Listen: NBCSP, 94 WIP

Game Three:

Phillies Starter: Aaron Nola (5-7, 3.35 ERA)

Marlins Starter: TBA

Aaron Nola will start the final game before the All-Star break. He has had a very strong first half, although he was roughed up a little in his last start. The right-hander allowed five runs in seven innings against the Cardinals.

The Fish have yet to announce their starting pitcher for Sunday.

First Pitch: Sunday, 1:40 P.M. EST

Where to Watch/Listen: NBCSP, 94 WIP

Players to Watch:

Phillies: Bryson Stott

Phillies rookie Bryson Stott hit two home runs in two games against the Toronto Blue Jays.
© Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Bryson Stott was on fire in Toronto, with three hits in seven at-bats, including two home runs. He scored two of his team’s three runs in the first game, and drove in both of his team’s runs in the second game. He’ll look to finish off the first half strong.

Other Phillies to watch include Rhys Hoskins and Kyle Schwarber, who both went ice cold in Toronto. Those two will need to hit consistently if Philadelphia is going to stay afloat without Bryce Harper. It will be a very worrying sign if they continue to slump in Miami.

Marlins: Garrett Cooper

Garrett Cooper was named an All-Star for the first time in his career as a replacement for Bryce Harper. Despite the All-Star nod, however, Cooper has been struggling lately.

After batting .378 in June, he is hitting just .175 in July. He’ll surely be hoping to find his footing before his first All-Star Game. Let’s hope the Phillies pitching staff can keep his bat at bay.