By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Looking to snap their five-game losing skid, the Philadelphia Phillies (74-71) and RHP Zach Eflin will take on seven-year veteran southpaw Wei-Yin Chen in the first of a three-game series Friday evening against the Miami Marlins (57-89) at Citizens Bank Park.
Read: Hoskins: Phillies' ‘Leadership-by-Committee’ Has Worked, Is Healthy
Amid rumors that the Phillies are looking to improve their outfield defense in 2019 by moving Rhys Hoskins from left field to first base — while possibly parting ways with Carlos Santana — the club will do just that on Friday. Hoskins will make his third 2018 start at first base, and his first since July 1. Despite going 3-for-4 with a solo home run on Wednesday, J.P. Crawford will not start Friday against the Marlins' left-handed starter.
Starting Pitching Matchup:
| Miami Marlins (57-89) | Philadelphia Phillies (74-71) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LHP | Wei-Yin Chen | RHP | Zach Eflin | ||
| (6-10, 4.72 ERA) | (9-7, 4.42 ERA) | ||||
LHP Wei-Yin Chen, Age: 33
- 2018 vs. PHI: 0-1, 1.50 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 6 IP, 5 H, R, ER, 0 HR, BB, 8 SO, 1.000 WHIP
- Career vs. PHI: 1-4, 3.62 ERA, 7 G, 6 GS, 37 1/3 IP, 44 H, 16 R, 15 ER, 4 HR, 5 BB, 33 SO, 1.313 WHIP
- Career at Citizens Bank Park: 0-3, 4.91 ERA, 4 G, 3 GS, 18 1/3 IP, 24 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 3 HR, 2 BB, 16 SO, 1.418 WHIP
Chen is in the middle of his five-year, $80 million contract with the Marlins, with a possible $16 million vesting option for 2021 if he has 180 innings pitched in 2020, or 360 innings pitched in 2019-20, according to Baseball-Reference. The left-hander is just 1-7 with a 9.13 ERA in 11 starts on the road this season, as opposed to going 5-3 with a 1.77 ERA in 12 starts at home.
RHP Zach Eflin, Age: 24
- 2018 vs. MIA: 1-0, 2.57 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 14 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 HR, 0 BB, 10 SO, 0.500 WHIP
- Career vs. MIA: 1-1, 5.21 ERA, 3 G, 3 GS, 19 IP, 16 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 4 HR, 4 BB, 11 SO, 1.053 WHIP
- Career at Citizens Bank Park: 7-8, 4.74 ERA, 19 G, 19 GS, 114 IP, 115 H, 64 R, 60 ER, 23 HR, 26 BB, 93 SO, 1.237 WHIP
Since he was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make room for recently-acquired first baseman Justin Bour on the 25-man roster, Eflin has gone 1-3 with a 7.71 ERA, 21-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 2.01 WHIP spanning five starts and 23 1/3 innings.
Over the last 30 days, Eflin's 7.71 ERA ranks as the third-worst in baseball (minimum 20 innings pitched), trailing only the Baltimore Orioles' Dylan Bundy (8.80 ERA) and Andrew Cashner (8.28). With the same criteria, Eflin's WHIP also trails only Cashner's league-worst 2.04 WHIP.
Starting Lineups:
| Miami Marlins (57-89) | Philadelphia Phillies (74-71) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Player | Bats | Position | Player | Bats | ||
| 1 | SS | JT Riddle | L | 1 | 2B | Cesar Hernandez | S |
| 2 | 3B | Miguel Rojas | R | 2 | 1B | Rhys Hoskins | R |
| 3 | C | J.T. Realmuto | R | 3 | RF | Jose Bautista | R |
| 4 | 2B | Starlin Castro | R | 4 | C | Wilson Ramos | R |
| 5 | 1B | Derek Dietrich | L | 5 | 3B | Carlos Santana | S |
| 6 | CF | Lewis Brinson | R | 6 | LF | Aaron Altherr | R |
| 7 | LF | Austin Dean | R | 7 | SS | Scott Kingery | R |
| 8 | RF | Rafael Ortega | L | 8 | P | Zach Eflin | R |
| 9 | P | Wei-Yin Chen | R | 9 | CF | Roman Quinn | S |
Broadcast Information:
- First pitch: 7:05 p.m.
- TV: NBCSP
- Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
Game Notes:
- With 17 games to go, the Phillies sit five games out of the loss column of the St. Louis Cardinals for the second National League Wild Card spot.
- Friday's Postseason Race Matchups:
- Washington Nationals (RHP Max Scherzer) at Atlanta Braves (RHP Kevin Gausman), 7:35 p.m.
- Cincinnati Reds (RHP Matt Harvey) at Chicago Cubs (LHP Cole Hamels), 8:05 p.m.
- Arizona Diamondbacks (LHP Robbie Ray) at Houston Astros (LHP Dallas Keuchel), 8:10 p.m.
- Pittsburgh Pirates (RHP Chris Archer) at Milwaukee Brewers (LHP Gio Gonzalez), 8:10 p.m.
- Los Angeles Dodgers (RHP Walker Buehler) at St. Louis Cardinals (RHP Jack Flaherty), 8:15 p.m.
- Colorado Rockies (LHP Tyler Anderson) at San Francisco Giants (RHP Chris Stratton), 10:15 p.m.
- Aaron Altherr will start in left field in the opener in place of Hoskins. In five career plate appearances against Chen, Altherr has a single, double, RBI, walk and strikeout (.500/.600/.750). (click to expand).
What's Next:
Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018: vs. Miami Marlins, 7:05 p.m.
- Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pa.
- TBA vs. RHP Vince Velasquez (9-11, 4.30 ERA)
- TV: NBCSP; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
