USATSI_16880536 — Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Series Preview: Phillies Fly South to Face-Off Against Marlins

The Philadelphia Phillies fly south as they take on the Miami Marlins following their 2-1 series loss to the New York Mets.

Author:
Declan Harris
Apr 14, 2022 12:00 PM EDT

The Philadelphia Phillies leave Citizens Bank Park for the first time this season following their 2-1 series loss to the New York Mets to take on the Miami Marlins for a four-game set.

The Phillies travel to loanDepot Park following a series of rather flat offensive production by their star-studded lineup. If last season is any indication, they may stick to their slump, as Philadelphia slashed .201/.270/.358 while playing in Miami in 2021, their fourth-lowest away batting average and on-base percentage for that season.

However, perhaps their newest additions of Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos can be just what they need to get over the hump vs. Miami, both sluggers have spectacular numbers vs. the Fish for their careers.

Castellanos vs Marlins (career):

60 PA, .351 AVG, .946 OPS, 5 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI

Schwarber vs Marlins (career):

72 PA, .339 AVG, 1.189 OPS, 5 2B, 7 HR, 13 RBI

The Marlins return home for the first time in 2022 following a West Coast trip that saw them lose their opening series to the San Francisco Giants and drop both games against the Los Angeles Angels.

Here is what to expect:

Game 1:

Phillies starting pitcher: Kyle Gibson (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

Marlins starting pitcher: Sandy Alcantara (0-0, 3.60 ERA)

Gibson takes the mound for the second time this season following his season debut on April 9 where he pitched seven innings, striking out 10 Oakland Athletics. Alcantara will get his second start for the year following a five-inning showing against the Giants on Opening Day.

First pitch: 6:40 p.m. EST

Game 2:

Phillies starting pitcher: Zach Eflin (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Marlins starting pitcher: Pablo López (0-0, 1.80 ERA)

Zach Eflin will look to increase his workload following his slow start against the Athletics on April 10 where he allowed two hits over four innings. López gets the start following his five-inning outing on April 9 against where he allowed one run while striking out six batters.

First pitch: 6:40 p.m. EST

Game 3:

Phillies starting pitcher: Ranger Suárez (0-0, 10.13 ERA)

Marlins starting pitcher: Trevor Rogers (0-1, 3.60 ERA)

The Phillies will send out Ranger Suárez for the third game of the series as he looks to bounce back from his rocky outing against the Mets, where he allowed three runs across two innings on the mound. For the Marlins, Rogers will take the mound following his first loss of the season on April 10 where he allowed two earned runs over five innings against the Giants.

First pitch: 6:10 p.m. EST

Game 4:

Phillies starting pitcher: Zack Wheeler (0-1, 1.93 ERA)

Marlins starting pitcher: Elieser Hernández (0-1, 7.71 ERA)

To round out the series, Wheeler will take the mound after a solid 2022 debut against his former team where he pitched 4.2 innings, struck out three, and allowed one home run. Hernández will be looking to rebound from his outing against the Angels on April 11 where he allowed four runs over four innings pitched.

First pitch: 1:40 p.m. EST

Despite having a better team on paper, Philadelphia has always managed to drop games in Miami. If the Phillies look to cover lost ground in the NL East, a series sweep against the Marlins is imperative before their trip out west to face-off against the Colorado Rockies.