Marlins vs Phillies Preview: Pitching Showdown in Week 64

Yesterday the Marlins showed up to Citizens Bank Park looking for a win. Instead, they got flattened 7-0 by the Phillies. The home team's bats woke up early. Rincones Jr. blasted a two-run homer in the second inning. Realmuto followed with a massive shot in the fifth. By the eighth inning, Crawford scored on a single and runs poured across the plate from sacrifice flies. The Marlins' pitching got roughed up. Now Miami sits at 36-36 on the season. The Phillies improved to 38-33 and hold the momentum heading into game two.

Let's talk about the Phillies' starting pitcher for tonight. Jesús Luzardo was born in Peru and represented Venezuela in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He's pitched for Oakland and Miami before landing with Philadelphia. This season, Luzardo carries a 6.28 ERA with 17 strikeouts. His WHIP sits at 1.4. That's not dominant stuff yet, but the Phillies believe in his potential. On the Marlins' side, Tyler Phillips gets the ball. We don't have season numbers for Phillips yet. The pitching matchup will shape how this game plays out. Both teams know that strong arms win games in June.

The Marlins have something to prove tonight. Losing 7-0 hurts. Miami's hot streak got cooled yesterday. Before that loss, the team won their last game and went 8-2 over their last ten. That's solid baseball. The Marlins' record sits dead even at 36-36. They need wins to move up in the standings. The Phillies are 38-33 and riding momentum. Philadelphia's pitching staff is loaded with talent. But baseball is never finished until the final out. One swing can change everything. You never know what happens when these teams take the field tonight.