The Miami Marlins are slumping at a crucial time in the season.
Miami (72-73) has lost four of its past five games as it tries to get into wild-card playoff position.
On Tuesday, the Marlins will play host to the New York Mets. The Mets won the series opener, 9-4, on Monday as Miami started the game with two throwing errors in the first inning. Miami then ended the game by getting a runner picked off of first base.
“We didn’t execute,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said of the loss. “We didn’t handle the ball real well.”
The good news for the Marlins is that ace Sandy Alcantara (13-9, 3.54 ERA) will get the start on Tuesday. In 19 career appearances (all starts) against the Mets, Alcantara is 7-5 with a 2.82 ERA.
Miami is 16-14 when Alcantara starts a game this year, but the Marlins have lost each of his past five outings. Yet, in those five starts, the right-hander has been solid, going at least six innings in each game.
It’s been exactly one month since Alcantara won a game, beating the Angels 7-0 on Aug. 8. He also did not surrender a run in each of his previous two outings before that victory.
Beyond Alcantara, the Marlins have been strong at home (43-30), including wins in 28 of their last 43 in Miami.
Meanwhile, the Mets, who are 32-38 on the road, have been bolstered by rookies such as center fielder A.J. Ewing and right fielder Carson Benge.
Ewing had the bigger game on Monday, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs. He’s now on a four-game hit streak, going 7-for-15 during that span.
“I feel comfortable in the box right now,” Ewing said after Monday’s game. “I’m not chasing results (anymore). I’m staying away from that as much as I can.”
Benge has 144 hits this season. With 12 more hits, he would break Pete Alonso’s franchise record for most hits by a player in his rookie season.
Ewing (22 steals) and Benge (21) are both chasing the Mets rookie record for stolen bases, which was set in 1981 by Mookie Wilson (24).
As for the Mets’ pitching staff, the bullpen has been excellent lately. Since the trade deadline passed on Aug. 3, New York’s relievers have a 3.01 ERA.
The Mets on Tuesday will start lefty Sean Manaea (4-7, 4.70). In seven career games against the Marlins, including six starts, he is 2-3 with a 4.73 ERA.
Manaea is the lone veteran starting pitcher on a staff that includes Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, Zac Thornton and Jonah Tong, who beat the Marlins on Monday.
At 34, Manaea is well respected as one of New York’s elders. He also has shown a lot of grit as he lost velocity on his fastball in spring training and began the season in the bullpen.
Manaea finally got his job back on June 13, and his ERA since then is 4.54. His ERA in 14 relief appearances prior to that was 5.02.
–Field Level Media
