Can the Philadelphia Phillies Bounce Back Against the Marlins?

Ah, home sweet home.

After a dismal West Coast road trip that saw the Philadelphia Phillies go 1-5 against the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants, they now return home to South Philadelphia hoping to bounce back.

As the calendar flipped to the month of September, the Phillies' horrendous performance felt all too familiar. The team that had put together an incredible run in the summer seemed too good to be true. In fairness, the team has dealt with a multitude of injuries, but they've been overcoming adversity all season long. Why should the changing of the month stop them now?

This week, though, Philadelphia can right the ship at Citizens Bank Park as they take on the Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals for three games each. They have the perfect opportunity to put the awful road trip behind them and once again prove that they can do damage down the stretch and into October.

Let's take a look at the pitching match-ups against Miami:

Game One: Tuesday, 6:45 p.m. - NBC Sports Philadelphia | RHP Aaron Nola vs. LHP Jesús Luzardo

Should the rain let up, Aaron Nola will take the mound on Tuesday night against the Marlins. "September Nola" has started to make an appearance as the season winds down, allowing eight runs on 10 hits in just four innings in his last start against the D-backs. He can move further away from the narrative with a strong outing against Miami—who's he had success against this year—pitching to a 1.17 ERA in two starts.

On the bump for the Marlins will be Jesús Luzardo, who returned from the 60-day injured list on Aug. 1. Since his return, the 24-year-old has posted a 3.44 ERA in 65.1 innings of work. This will be his first start against the Phillies this season.

Game Two: Wednesday, 6:45 p.m. - NBC Sports Philadelphia | LHP Bailey Falter vs. LHP Trevor Rogers

It will be the battle of the left-handers on Wednesday, with lefties Bailey Falter and Trevor Rogers facing off. Falter has, by far, been the bright spot of the Phillies' rotation over the last few weeks or so, which is not something anyone believed they'd be saying this late in the season. Across his last four starts, Falter has tossed 24.1 innings to the tune of 2.59 ERA.

Following a strong rookie campaign in 2021, Rogers has faltered in his sophomore season. He has a 5.57 ERA in 93.2 innings of work, and has especially struggled against Philadelphia this year, with a 11.91 ERA in three starts.

Game Three: Thursday, 6:45 p.m. - NBC Sports Philadelphia | RHP Kyle Gibson vs. RHP Sandy Alcantara

If anybody needs a win, it's Kyle Gibson. His last start against the Giants saw him toss just 1.2 innings, allowing seven runs on five hits. That's largely been the story for Gibby in 2022: he tossed a gem against the Pittsburgh Pirates (a six-inning shutout) on Aug. 27, and followed that up with the horrid start against the Giants. The right-hander must find consistency, and he may be able to hit his stride against Miami, with a 2.92 ERA in four starts when facing them this season.

For the Marlins, they'll send their ace Sandy Alcantara to the mound. His four complete games and 190.1 innings pitched lead MLB, and his 2.36 ERA ranks fifth. Funnily enough, the Cy Young candidate has floundered against the Phillies this year. He's 1-2 with a 3.03 ERA in 29.2 innings, which exemplifies how great of a season he's had. He last faced Philadelphia on Aug. 10, throwing 7.2 frames and allowing four runs on eight hits.

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