Shortstop Otto Lopez leads the majors in batting average, rookie catcher Joe Mack is coming off a 4-for-4 game, and Miami has won six of its past seven games.
In other words, this team is hot. And the host Marlins will try to clinch their third straight series on Wednesday night when they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“Joe Mack — what a day,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said after Miami defeated Arizona 10-6 on Tuesday in the series opener. “Otto continues to come through.”
As to McCullough’s first point, Mack, 23, became the youngest Marlins catcher ever to have a four-hit game.
“I’m trying to stay short,” Mack said of his swing.
Meanwhile, Lopez is batting .341 after hitting .246 last season, and McCullough said he should be an All-Star.
“He’s making a strong case every day,” McCullough said. “Otto has been a hitting machine since Day 1 of the season, and he’s played high-level defense. It’s hard to find someone at that position having a better year.”
The Marlins, who had 15 hits on Tuesday, will try to provide right-hander Ryan Gusto (0-1, 10.80 ERA) with similar production.
Gusto, 27, has pitched most of this season at Triple-A Jacksonville, going 4-2 with a 3.83 ERA, and he might be limited to roughly 50 pitches on Wednesday. He has never faced Arizona, and this will be just his second MLB start this season.
Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks will start right-hander Ryne Nelson (2-4, 4.60 ERA), who has faced the Marlins just once and has no decisions and a 1.50 ERA. He allowed just one run in six innings in a 3-2 loss on April 15, 2023.
This season, Arizona is 5-8 when starting Nelson, who has been solid with the exception of a disastrous start against Toronto on April 19. He got just one out in that game, allowing eight runs in a 10-4 loss.
Since then, Nelson posted a 2.95 ERA in six May starts. And, in June, he has a 2.57 ERA in one start.
But Nelson promises he won’t let down.
“The moment you get comfortable,” Nelson told MLB.com, “that’s when you can slip.”
Nelson on Wednesday hopes to get support from an Arizona lineup that features two-time All-Star right fielder Corbin Carroll (.930 OPS) and three-time All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte (.755 OPS).
Carroll, the 2023 National League Rookie of the Year, hit his 11th homer of the season on Tuesday.
Gabriel Moreno, considered one of the best all-around catchers in baseball, also homered on Tuesday. He has a .764 OPS and five homers — just four short of his career high. His issue has always been that he is regarded as injury prone.
As for the left side of Arizona’s infield, third baseman Nolan Arenado (.771 OPS) and shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (.702 OPS) have been solid this season.
Perdomo broke out last season with career highs in doubles (33), triples (five), homers (20), RBIs (100), steals (27) and OPS (.851).
–Field Level Media
