A three-game series in the National League unfolds on Saturday as the Miami Marlins (49-85, 5th NL East) face off against the San Francisco Giants (67-68, 4th NL West). The series commenced on Friday night (Note: This article was published prior to Friday’s results). These teams previously clashed in April, where the Giants secured two out of three victories in Miami. The Marlins will send Edward Cabrera (5.60 ERA) to the mound, while the Giants have yet to announce their starting pitcher. The first pitch is scheduled for 9:05 PM from Oracle Park in San Francisco.
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Marlins’ Recent Performance in Colorado
In a showdown involving the two bottom teams in the National League, the Miami Marlins managed to split a four-game series against the Colorado Rockies. Currently, the Marlins hold the unfortunate distinction of being the worst team in the NL, trailing Colorado by half a game in the standings. Although Miami is not officially out of playoff contention, they are a staggering 24 games away from the final Wild Card spot, making their chances exceedingly slim as the season winds down. In their last encounter with the Rockies, the Marlins showcased their offensive prowess by scoring two home runs from Derek Hill, leading to a 12-8 victory.
The Marlins collected a remarkable 18 hits in that game, thriving in the high-scoring environment of Denver’s thin air. Manager Skip Schumacher remarked, “Eighteen hits, we’ll sign up for that any day of the week. Up and down the lineup, it was just a really good offensive day. This stadium is not easy to win at. No lead is safe.” Derek Hill contributed significantly, hitting his 6th and 7th home runs of the season while playing center field and batting fifth. Acquired from the Texas Rangers midseason, Hill has a .238 batting average with the Marlins. Another midseason pickup, Kyle Stowers, has also been a bright spot for Miami, driving in four RBIs in their recent game and racking up eight hits throughout the series. Jake Burger, with two hits in the same game, leads the Marlins with 25 home runs and 59 RBIs this season.
Edward Cabrera is set to make his 16th start for Miami. The 26-year-old right-hander holds a 2-6 record, with the team losing in each of his last four outings. His ERA stands at 5.60, with 81 strikeouts against 40 walks, and he has allowed 14 home runs. In his most recent start, Cabrera pitched 5.1 innings, surrendering three earned runs in a loss to the Rockies.
Giants Struggle in the Competitive NL West
The NL West has proven to be a challenging division, with the Los Angeles Dodgers sitting atop the standings and both the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres currently vying for Wild Card positions. The Giants have found themselves slipping in the ranking, now 13.5 games behind the Dodgers and 6.5 games out of the final Wild Card position. Returning home after a tough road trip that included two series against the Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers, the Giants suffered losses in two out of three games against the Brewers, managing just two hits in a 6-0 defeat on Thursday.
In that lackluster performance, Tyler Fitzgerald and Michael Conforto were the only San Francisco players to register hits. Fitzgerald, their 26-year-old shortstop, is batting .296 this season, with 14 home runs, 29 RBIs, and a team-high 16 stolen bases. He batted second in the lineup on Thursday. Conforto, playing as the designated hitter, also has 14 home runs and 54 RBIs this year. The standout on offense, Matt Chapman, leads the Giants with 21 home runs and 64 RBIs, playing third base and batting fifth. Heliot Ramos has also been a key contributor, edging out Chapman in RBIs with 65, along with 20 home runs while batting in the third spot as a left fielder.
The Giants have yet to announce their starting pitcher for this game, but they do have confirmed starters for the following four matchups. This suggests that a bullpen game might be in the works, where a reliever starts the game and multiple pitchers are used in short stints. Their team ERA currently ranks 21st in the league at 4.20.
Best Bets for Miami Marlins vs. San Francisco Giants
The Marlins are set to start Cabrera, whose ERA stands at 5.60, and they have lost in all of his last four appearances. His strikeout to walk ratio is just above 2:1 this season, and he has given up a total of 12 runs over his last three outings, including a rough performance against the Philadelphia Phillies, where he allowed six runs in four innings. The Giants have not announced their starter yet, but whoever takes the mound will be going up against the 28th-ranked offense in the league in terms of run production. Miami also ranks 27th in home runs, indicating that scoring has been a significant challenge for the team this season. While San Francisco may occupy the 4th place in their division, they boast 18 more wins than Miami this year. It seems reasonable to predict a two-run victory for the Giants against an offense struggling to find consistency and a pitcher who has faced recent difficulties. Giants are expected to win decisively.
