The red-hot Philadelphia Phillies will look to continue their recent success on Tuesday night as they open up their three-game set with the Miami Marlins. This past weekend was an action-packed one for the Phillies, featuring a four-game sweep over the Washington Nationals with a mild side of Alumni Weekend shenanigans.
The Phillies currently own a 6-4 record against their fishy Floridian friends on the year. Meanwhile, the Marlins are coming off a series loss to the Chicago Cubs over the weekend, owning a 3-7 record over the past 10 games.
Phillies-Marlins Pitching Matchup
Zack Wheeler (10-5, 2.69 ERA) vs. Braxton Garrett (2-5, 3.88 ERA)
Zack Wheeler has been nothing but an ace starting pitcher for the Phillies this season. Currently owning a career-best 2.69 ERA, Wheeler is sixth in the National League in the category (with Marlin’s pitcher Sandy Alcantara standing at first with what appears to be a runaway Cy Young Award candidacy).
Wheeler’s most recent start came against the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday, August 3. He pitched seven strong innings for the Phillies in the game, striking out seven batters while walking none. His only blemish came in the form of a solo home run from Orlando Arcia in the bottom of the sixth inning. A three-run rally in the top of the eighth inning secured the lead for the Phillies before David Robertson entered in the bottom of the ninth to earn his first save in Phillies uniform.
Braxton Garrett, meanwhile, will make his 12th start of the year for the Marlins. The Phillies have yet to face the young pitcher, who recently celebrated his 25th birthday, this season. Garrett currently owns a 3.88 ERA and a consistent 3.04 FIP on the year, most recently racking up 11 strikeouts over 5.2 innings in a 2-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, August 2.
Daily Fantasy Selections
The obvious pick for the day would be Zack Wheeler. Wheeler has had an incredible season thus far, has been hot as of late, and owns a 2.45 career ERA against the Marlins. He currently stands as the fourth most expensive starting pitcher on FanDuel today behind Shohei Ohtani, Gerrit Cole, and Alek Manoah, costing $10,700.
A more intriguing pick would come from the Marlins’ side of the coin tonight in Miguel Rojas. The shortstop is the closest thing the Marlins currently have to a ‘Phillie killer’, owning a .810 OPS against the Phillies on the season.
Additionally, he owns a career .333 batting average against Wheeler having gone 9-for-27 with two home runs and seven RBI against him. Coming in at $2,300 on FanDuel, you can confidently select him knowing that he will likely be involved in any offensive production from the Marlins on the night.
Given that the Phillies do not have much history against Braxton, I would advise fans to ride any of the hot bats in the lineup such as Rhys Hoskins, JT Realmuto, Alec Bohm, or Nick Castellanos. One bargain barrel option to play, if he is in the lineup tonight, would be Edmundo Sosa.
Cleary a game-time decision due to his lack of playing time, Sosa is 3-for-4 lifetime against Braxton. In his first start with the Phillies on Saturday, Sosa went 1-for-3 with an RBI double and one run scored. Sitting at only $2,100 on FanDuel, Sosa is certainly a bargain barrel candidate at shortstop/third base to be considered if he makes the starting lineup.
Betting Preview
The Phillies’ offense has been red-hot as of late, owning a +24 run differential over their past 10 games. That being said, I have a sinking feeling that tonight will be a quiet night at the ballpark with a score sitting around the 3-2 margin.
The Phillies, certainly the favorites in the matchup, will come out on top, but it will not be as much of a runaway contest as in previous days.
Photo Credit: Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP
