The 2019 Citrus Series between the Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays will get underway at Marlins Park on Tuesday.
The teams will play a pair of two-game series this season, with the Tropicana Field series coming in August. The Marlins are bringing a five-game losing streak into this series, while the Rays have lost three of their last four games. Miami owns the worst record in baseball and Tampa Bay is leading the American League East.
With May almost half over, the Marlins have only picked up two victories in the month. Miami is 10-29 and has an MLB-worst negative 91 run differential. The Marlins called up Harold Ramirez recently to give the offense a potential boost and more help could be on the way. Several players are hitting the ball well in AAA, including prospect Monte Harrison. With only eight total runs in the last five games it has played, Miami can use all the help it can find on offense.
Caleb Smith will start Tuesday's opener, after having his scheduled start wiped out on Sunday. Smith has been Miami's ace in 2019 and has been one of the better arms in all of baseball. Despite his team only having ten wins, Smith is 3-0 on the season. Smith's E.R.A sits at a stellar 2.11 this season and he has tallied 56 strikeouts in 42.2 innings pitched.
Jose Urena will get Wednesday's assignment and he is coming off his finest outing of the year. Urena held the Chicago Cubs to one run in seven innings of work his last time out. Urena has four quality starts in his last five appearances, which has lowered his season E.R.A to 4.82. The right-hander is 1-5 on the season and the Marlins are 1-7 in his eight starts.
The two-game series will begin on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m.
