Marlins vs Phillies Preview: Pitching Duel Lights Up Week 64

The Philadelphia Phillies are ready to roll out their ace Zack Wheeler for Monday's matchup. Wheeler is ranked number 17 in baseball right now with a tiny 1.5 ERA and a 1 WHIP. He dominates batters with his powerful fastball and keeps hitters off-balance deep into games. The Phillies' pitching staff is one of the deepest in the National League. Behind Wheeler, they've got Aaron Nola, Jesús Luzardo, and Cristopher Sánchez ready to shut down any lineup. Their closer Jhoan Duran brings electric velocity and a devastating splitter that makes the ninth inning nearly impossible for opponents.

Miami's pitching staff is battling injuries right now. Three starting pitchers are on the injured list—Eury Pérez, Janson Junk, and Robby Snelling are all sidelined. Ryan Gusto will take the mound as the probable pitcher for the Marlins. The team is still waiting for ace Sandy Alcántara to return to the form that made him a Cy Young Award winner. Young arms like Max Meyer and Chris Paddack need to step up big. Pete Fairbanks handles closer duties with 27 saves and a 2.83 ERA last season. Miami's bullpen will be critical in this game.

Here's what makes this matchup interesting: the Marlins are hot right now. Miami is 36-36 on the season with a winning streak. They've won eight of their last ten games. The Phillies sit at 38-32 with a one-game winning streak. They've also been strong lately, taking seven of their last ten. Both teams are playing solid baseball heading into Monday night. The Marlins have gone 23-16 at home this season. The Phillies are 19-17 at Citizens Bank Park. This game at home could be big for Philadelphia's momentum.