The Miami Marlins look to return to the win column in Kansas City Royals series opener.
The Miami Marlins will start a new chapter as the regular season reaches its final stretch, following a 6-3 series loss to the Washington Nationals, and now facing the Kansas City Royals.
Second baseman Xavier Edwards (left thumb sprain) is very unlikely to play in this series. He was placed on the 10-day injured list on Monday. In response, the Marlins called up infielder Jared Serna from Triple-A. He could make his major league debut at some point in this series.
Pitching Matchup
Randy Dobnak will be the first pitcher on the mound to start Monday’s game. He’s produced a 1.92 ERA and a 2-2 record in 51.2 innings (10 games). Dobnak relies on five pitches:
- Sinker (39.5 percent)
- Sweeper (25.2 percent)
- Changeup (21 percent)
- Four Seamer (9.3 percent)
- Slider (5.1 percent)
Dobnak has a 69th percentile pitching run value and 74th percentile fastball run value.
Meanwhile, the Marlins are starting Tyler Phillips. He’s produced a 3.59 ERA and a 3-6 record in 105.1 innings (32 games). Phillips has started in 13 of his last 14 appearances. He relies on five pitches:
Sinker (25.4 percent)
Sweeper (24.8 percent)
Split Finger (23.6 percent)
Curveball (16.8 percent)
Four Seamer (8.1 percent)
Game Notes
In the lineup, Kyle Stowers will leadoff as a designated hitter. The infield defense will feature Griffin Conine (batting second) at first, Javier Sanoja (batting ninth) at second in place of Edwards, and Graham Pauley (batting eighth) at third. He was recalled from Triple-A ahead of Tuesday’s game.
Owen Caissie (batting fifth) will start at right field and Joe Mack (batting seventh) returns to operate behind the plate.
In the Royals’ lineup, Salvador Perez (batting fourth) will serve as a designated hitter. He hasn’t caught behind the plate since Aug. 12 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Perez has started at designated hitter in 13 of his last 15 starts – the other two at first base.
From that span, the 36-year-old batted .276 with a .697 OPS, including 16 hits in 58 at-bats, four doubles, 10 runs batted in, and a home run. Also, the Royals are 12-3 in their last 15 games.
How to Watch and Listen
The game will be televised on Royals.TV and Marlins.TV. For radio options, you can find the Royals broadcast on 96.5 The Fan and Royals Radio Network; meanwhile, the Marlins are on WQAM 104.3 and WAQI 710.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. E.T.
Anthony Aguirre covers the Miami Hurricanes, Miami Heat, and Miami Marlins for Roundtable Sports. Contact info for tips/info: [email protected] & 305-987-3290 | Follow on Instagram/X: @AnthonyA_Sports
