Right-hander Zack Wheeler will vie for his fifth straight win on Sunday afternoon when his Philadelphia Phillies bid to sweep a three-game series against the host Miami Marlins.
Wheeler has a sterling ERA of 1.64, but his record is just 4-3. In fact, the Phillies are 4-4 when he starts.
Yet, of his eight starts this season, Wheeler has allowed more than one earned run just twice. And, over his past four starts, he is 4-0 with a 0.36 ERA.
Blessed by textbook mechanics, Wheeler also has great stuff, throwing a fastball at the top of the zone that hitters struggle to get under and breaking pitches that miss bats.
When he’s on, Wheeler handcuffs hitters. Against the Marlins, he is 10-4 with a 2.48 ERA in 22 career games.
For Miami, left-hander Braxton Garrett is set to make his 2024 debut. He has been on the injured list due to a shoulder impingement.
Garrett is one of six Marlins starting pitchers who have served time on the injured list this season, including 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez, who are both out for the year. A.J. Puk, Edward Cabrera and Jesus Luzardo also have been on the injured list.
Puk is ticketed for the bullpen when he returns. Cabrera went on the injured list this week, and Luzardo was activated on Saturday.
As for Garrett, he is 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA in five career starts against the Phillies and is 6-10 with a 3.88 ERA in 30 career home appearances, including 29 starts.
When he’s right, Garrett has a swing-and-miss slider to go with a hard sinker and a changeup.
“It’s a big deal having Jesus and Braxton back,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said Saturday.
Luzardo held the Phillies scoreless for five innings on Saturday before Philadelphia found its way in an 8-3 win.
The Phillies, who have the best record in the majors at 28-12, have won 13 of their past 15 games.
Philadelphia designated hitter Kyle Schwarber missed Saturday’s game due to a stiff lower back.
Schwarber, who is tied with Bryce Harper for the team lead in homers (nine), hadn’t missed a game this season prior to Saturday.
“I don’t think I’ll be on (the injured list) by any means,” Schwarber said Saturday. “I am going to take it day by day. I don’t want this to be a recurring thing.”
Schwarber said he believes he injured his back during a swing in the seventh inning on Friday night.
Fortunately for the Phillies, they have a deep lineup.
On Saturday, Harper went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts, and Trea Turner (injured list) and Schwarber were out, but they still got 12 hits, drew three walks and scored eight runs.
“The bottom of our lineup has done a great job the past couple of days,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “It’s good to see.”
Alec Bohm, who is hitting .343, went 2-for-5 on Saturday. Bryson Stott went 2-for-5 with four RBIs. And Cristian Pache went 3-for-4 with one run, one RBI and one outfield assist.
“They have one of the best lineups in the majors,” Luzardo said after Saturday’s start. “But my body reacted well.”
Meanwhile, the Marlins played on Saturday without shortstop Tim Anderson, who also had lower back tightness.
Miami, which has lost five straight games, has the worst record in the majors at 10-31.
So far in this series, the Marlins have been sloppy, making three errors and getting three runners thrown out on either steal attempts or trying to stretch a single into a double.
As a result, Miami has been outscored 16-5.
–Field Level Media
