Marlins face Ohtani and Dodgers without their closer, battling a nine-game losing streak. Can they overcome the odds?
If the Miami Marlins are to snap a nine-game losing streak at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, they will have to do so without their closer.
After leaving Monday’s game with a nerve irritation in his thumb, the Marlins have placed Pete Fairbanks on the 10-day injured list. Fairbanks experienced numbness in his right hand and exited with the bases loaded before the Los Angeles Dodgers won 5-4 on a walk-off single by Kyle Tucker.
Fairbanks told MLB.com after the game that it was “just a lot of diminished sensation.”
“Felt like any movement of the wrist would exacerbate just loss of sensation in the index finger,“ Fairbanks said. “I've dealt with the nerve stuff before, and it is still just as frustrating, because it's such a complex chain from neck to fingertip with a lot of entrapment spots.“
Cade Gibson was recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville to take his place. Gibson has a 2.63 ERA, a 0.73 WHIP and 15 strikeouts in 13.2 innings pitched over 10 minor league games this season.
With Shohei Ohtani on the mound opposite of Janson Junk, the Marlins will be taking on the two-time defending World Series champions at the very best.
Ohtani will make his fifth start of the season after allowing only one earned run in 24 innings over the previous four outings. His microscopic 0.38 ERA trails only the emerging ace of the other Los Angeles team, Angels’ starter José Soriano (0.24), among big leaguers with at least 15.0 innings pitched.
Ohtani gave up five hits with seven strikeouts over six innings against the rival San Francisco Giants in his previous outing. He had the opportunity to join the late, great Fernando Valenzuela in 1981 as a Dodger pitcher who allowed only one run over his first five starts of the season. He did it last year but only through 9.1 innings when he was coming off an injury that limited him to being a designated hitter in 2024.
It will be the first time the Marlins have faced Ohtani as a Dodger. The previous two matchups were when he was with the Angels. He allowed only one earned run in 13 innings with 20 strikeouts through two starts, the most recent being on May 27, 2023.
Ohtani is supported by a Dodger lineup that leads MLB in batting average (.277), on-base percentage (.355), slugging percentage (.466), total bases (458), and OPS (.820) while ranking second in home runs (45) and hits (272). A luxury for Ohtani is also a challenge for the Marlins and Junk.
Junk is well rested after a 55-pitch performance at home against St. Louis on April 22 for his first win of the season. Junk allowed only one hit over 5.0 scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
The Marlins will need to continue capitalizing on offensive opportunities. The Fightin’ Fish have the fourth-highest batting average in the National League with runners in scoring position at .282, trailing only Atlanta (.308), Milwaukee (.298), and Arizona (.286), who are all playoff contenders.
The Marlins enter Tuesday’s game as heavy underdogs (+230) against the Dodgers (-275), according to Hard Rock Bet.
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