Miami

Series Preview: Mets at Marlins

The Marlins will return home on Monday to open a series with the New York Mets

The Miami Marlins will start another homestand when they take on the New York Mets beginning on Monday.

After losing four straight games, Miami picked up a win on Sunday in Philadelphia. The Marlins are 3-6 so far on the year and the Mets will be a tough test. New York is 7-1 and has won five consecutive games, which included a sweep of the Washington Nationals.

The Mets are winning with both pitching and offense thus far, while Miami has struggled on both sides of the ball at times. While Miami has a -28 run differential, the Mets are +17 in that category. The Mets could contend all season, though their start has exceeded most expectations.

Miami will have Jose Urena on the mound for the series opener and he will be tasked with out-pitching Noah Syndergaard. The Mets' ace has been piling up the strikeouts as usual, but has been scored against. Syndergaard has a 5.40 E.R.A. coming into this one, while Urena is coming off a strong seven-inning performance.

Caleb Smith will hope for better results, when he takes the ball for Miami in the middle game of the series. Smith struggled against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday and is 0-1 this season. The lefty walked six in that loss and only lasted three innings. With Jacob deGrom pitching for New York, Smith will need to give the Marlins more than three innings this time around. deGrom is 2-0 with a 1.54 E.R.A in 2018.

Jarlin Garcia will make his first start of the season in Wednesday's series finale. Garcia has been highly effective out of the bullpen for Miami, but the team needed a fifth starter. With eight strikeouts and only two runs allowed in ten relief innings, Garcia has been one of Miami's best arms in 2018. The lefty has made 70 appearances in Major League Baseball, but this will be his first career start.

Justin Bour is still struggling to find his stroke, with a paltry .182 average so far. Bour has only one extra-base hit and two runs batted in so far. Without Bour's production, Miami's offense will struggle to post runs on a daily basis. Following the off-season trades, Bour was considered Miami's main power threat. The season is young, but the 29-year old will need to figure things out in a hurry.

Lewis Brinson has seen his batting average drop to .171 and has been held hitless in four straight games. Brinson has no extra-base hits yet and has been moved to sixth in Miami's lineup. After starting the year as Miami's leadoff hitter, Brinson has fallen in the order twice already. Braxton Lee will start in place of Brinson in the series opener, but the 23-year old should be back in the lineup on Tuesday.

With J.T. Realmuto still on the disabled list, Miami will once again share the catching duties between Chad Wallach and Bryan Holaday. Neither option provides Miami with much offensively, but both men have been solid behind the plate. The Marlins also have Tomas Telis available to catch if needed.

Monday's first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.

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