The Marlins have lost two of their last three games but are still in the playoff picture while the defending World Series champions have the second-fewest wins in the NL.
This is the first game of a doubleheader between these division rivals. Washington snapped their three-game losing streak in their last game where they only gave up two runs. The pitching for the Nats is the main reason the team will not be defending their World Series title only ranking 25th in the Majors in runs scored.
The Marlins have the fifth-most wins in the Majors and if the season ended today they would be in the playoffs. They are two games over .500 and they had won three in a row before losing two of their last three games. In the two losses in their last three games, they only totaled three runs while in the lone win they scored eight.
Garcia Helps End Skid
The Nats ended their three-game slide with a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in their last game where rookie Luis Garcia hit a two-run HR in the 10th inning.
Asdrubal Cabrera also went yard in the game where Washington had seven hits. The club only ranks 19th in the bigs in runs scored and they have only averaged 2.5 runs in their last four games. Juan Soto leads the team in HR (11) and RBI (31) and 22 of his RBI on the season have come on the road.
Erick Fedde (1-3 5.06 ERA) gets the nod for the Nats in the first game of this NL East doubleheader and the team has won his last two outings. In his last start, he went five innings and gave up two runs in an 8-7 win over the Atlanta Braves. This is Fedde’s first start of the season against the Marlins and in his last two road starts he has given up 10 runs nine 2/3 innings.
One Inning Not Enough
In their last game, the Marlins lost to the Boston Red Sox 5-3 where they scored all three runs in the seventh inning. Garrett Cooper was the only player on the club with more than one hit and Jesus Aguilar, who leads the team with 29 RBI, went 0 for 4 with four strikeouts. Miami has been a solid road team on the season but are five games under .500 at home.
Sixto Sanchez (3-1 1.69 ERA) takes the hill for the fish and they have won his last two starts where he only gave up one run in 13 innings. In his last start, he gave up one run in seven innings of work and only allowed three hits in a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. In four starts after giving up three runs in his season debut in a win over the Nationals Sanchez has not faced them since and has only given up three runs.
Notable Trends
The Miami Marlins are:
- NA
The Washington Nationals are:
- 9-13 in their last 22 road games
