Fernandez, rising Marlins visit Phillies
The Phillies’ bid to snag the rubber match of their weekend series vs. the Mets never got off the ground. Manager Pete Mackanin can only hope that tonight’s opener with Miami has a radically different feel.
With Jose Fernandez on the bump, however, perhaps expectations should be tempered. The two clubs square off at 7:05 p.m. ET, with online sports book Bovada.lv throwing its support behind the visiting Marlins. Philadelphia, meanwhile, enters as a +180 underdog.
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On Sunday, the Phils were dealt a one-hit shutout. Only starting pitcher Zach Eflin managed to reach base against the scintillating Jacob deGrom. The result served as a microcosm of the entire set, really, as Philadelphia amassed just five runs and 16 base knocks across 27 innings.
The fourth-place squad must rebound in a hurry, or else Fernandez could craft yet another gem. Don Mattingly’s righty ranks third in the senior circuit with 154 strikeouts, which accompany a 1.02 WHIP. He’s one of the sport’s premier hurlers, period, and appears to have new heights in mind after a thoroughly successful recovery from Tommy John surgery.
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Will Aaron Nola provide any sort of resistance? Philly’s highly touted youngster began the campaign on a 4-3 run. Once June arrived, however, things got dicey. Nola is 0-4 with an ERA of 13.50 in his past five appearances. Mackanin gave him extra rest in advance of the All-Star break in an effort to relieve some of the mounting tension in the City of Brotherly Love.
Perhaps the respite did wonders for Nola’s psyche. Odds are, though, it’ll hinder his ability to spot that fastball in the early going. The Marlins capitalized on a surplus of opportunities in St. Louis, and they’re likely to enjoy similar success here. Count on the Fish to keep chasing down that wild card.
MONDAY MLB FREE PICK: MARLINS -1.5