Rangers vs Marlins Preview: Young Guns Face Vets in Miami

Kumar Rocker is the Rangers' guy on the bump tonight. This 25-year-old pitcher grabbed headlines when Texas picked him third overall back in 2022. He made his big-league debut in 2024, and now he's getting his shot in this matchup. Thing is, Rocker's having a rough season. His ERA sits at 7.32—that's way too high. He's only got one win and his WHIP is 1.87. The Rangers need him to lock in and throw strikes. If Rocker can cut down his walks and get ahead in the count, he's got a real chance to help Dallas stop their slide. Miami's hitters will be hunting fastballs tonight.

The Marlins are cooking right now. They've won their last four games and sit at 40-38 overall. At home, they're even better—26-16 in loanDepot park. That's a winning record on their own field. Their bats are clicking and their pitching is holding up when it counts. Miami's offense has found its rhythm over the last ten games, going 7-3. Tyler Phillips takes the ball tonight as their starter. The Marlins won't hand you anything easy. They've got Sandy Alcántara lurking in their rotation when he's healthy, and young arms like Eury Pérez ready to prove themselves. Texas better be sharp.

Texas is in trouble. They're sitting at 36-40 and just dropped their last game. The Rangers have won only four of their last ten games, going 4-6 in that stretch. They came into Miami needing to stop the bleeding and find their winning ways again. The problem? Their pitching staff is banged up. Star pitcher Corey Seager is battling a concussion and may not play on this road trip. Jack Leiter has lost three straight starts. The Rangers need guys like Rocker to step up and give them innings they can win with. Tonight's matchup is crucial for Dallas.