Series Preview: Giants at Marlins

The Miami Marlins will return home for three games against the San Francisco Giants beginning on Tuesday.

Miami has won seven of the last ten games it has played and has improved to 17-34 on the season. The Marlins had won six games in a row, before stumbling over the weekend against the Washington Nationals. That winning streak began at Marlins Park, giving the team a 9-17 home record in 2019.

The Giants are 21-31 this year and these two teams may battle all season for the worst record in the National League. The Giants have lost five games in a row and are 3-7 in their last ten. San Francisco has been better on the road this season than it has been at home. The Giants are 11-13 on the road and are 10-18 when playing in their home park.

Trevor Richards made two starts during the win streak and he will get the ball again on Tuesday. Richards is 1-5 on the season, with a 4.14 E.R.A. The Marlins are 2-8 in games started by Richards, with the two wins coming in his recent appearances. The right-hander has been doing a solid job with strikeouts this year, but he has struggled with walks at times.

Pablo Lopez has been bouncing between solid starts and will be looking to continue that pattern on Wednesday. Lopez struggled his last time on the mound, after a dominant seven-inning outing in the start prior to that. Lopez is 3-5 with a 5.40 E.R.A in 2019 and he has tallied 50 strikeouts in 51.2 innings pitched.

The series finale assignment will go to Sandy Alcantara, who is coming off a loss in Washington, D.C. The right-hander is 2-5 with a 4.50 E.R.A. and has been inconsistent all season long. Alcantara has Miami's two best starts in 2019, but also has looked overmatched at times. The 23-year old has only 38 strikeouts in his 58 innings, with 15 of those coming in two starts.

Neil Walker has continued to boost his trade value in recent weeks and leads the team with his .296 batting average. Walker is Miami's likeliest candidate to be dealt close to the trade deadline, due to his production and versatility. Walker's .371 on-base percentage also leads the team and the veteran has seen consistent playing time as of late.