Seattle @ Miami preview
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Last Meeting ( Jun 14, 2023 ) Miami 4, Seattle 1
It doesn't make much sense.
The Miami Marlins have the worst record in the National League yet have more walk-off wins (seven) than any other team in the majors.
On Friday night, they open a three-game series against the visiting Seattle Mariners, who sit in first place in the American League West but are on a two-game losing streak.
Miami most recently took two of three from the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. Both of Miami's wins in the series were of the walk-off variety, and Marlins manager Skip Schumaker was impressed with how his players performed -- especially coming off a poor 1-5 road trip.
"Credit to our guys," Schumaker said. "They still come in positive, thinking they are going to win every single day."
The Marlins, who were off on Thursday, are hoping center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. can return to the lineup. He was scratched on Wednesday due to a tight right hamstring, but the injury is considered mild and he was available to pinch-hit.
Left-hander Trevor Rogers (1-8, 5.09 ERA) is expected to start for the Marlins on Friday.
The Marlins are just 1-13 when Rogers pitches, including an active streak of five straight losses that dates to mid-May.
However, the Marlins believe that Rogers -- their first-round pick in 2017 -- is turning things around. After compiling a 7.78 ERA in five May appearances, he has a 3.50 mark in three June starts.
Rogers, a 26-year-old New Mexico native, has never faced Seattle.
The Mariners will enter the Friday game on the heels of 8-0 and 6-3 losses in Cleveland, the latter coming Thursday afternoon.
"When you play really good teams like this," Mariners manager Scott Servais said of the Guardians, "every inning is critical. You can never let your guard down."
On Friday, the Mariners are expected to start 26-year-old right-hander George Kirby (6-5, 3.54 ERA), their first-round pick in 2019.
Kirby will be pitching on five days' rest. In that scenario, he is 16-4 with a 2.27 ERA since debuting in 2022. On four days' rest, he is 8-9 with a 4.54 ERA.
He has faced Miami just once, pitching six innings, allowing only one run, which was unearned, fanning 10 and getting a win on June 13, 2023.
The Mariners are 41-30 when Kirby pitches, including 8-7 this year.
Kirby had a 4.08 ERA entering June, but in three starts this month, he is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA.
When he is right, Kirby pounds the strike zone. This year, he has 84 strikeouts and just nine walks in 86 1/3 innings.
The Mariners' offense is paced by switch-hitting catcher Cal Raleigh, who leads Seattle in homers (12) and RBIs (44).
Center fielder Julio Rodriguez -- already a two-time All-Star at age 23 -- leads the Mariners in steals (16 in 20 attempts). He was a 30-30 man last year with 32 homers and 37 steals.
He has just seven homers this season and is second in the American League with 89 strikeouts.
--Field Level Media