By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
PHILADELPHIA — Fresh off completing their first sweep of the season and a subsequent off-day, the Philadelphia Phillies (9-9) will open a three-game set Tuesday evening against southpaw Wei-Yin Chen and the Miami Marlins (10-8) at Citizens Bank Park.
Update: Tuesday’s series opener has been postponed due to inclement weather. No makeup date has been announced.
Right-handed starter Vince Velasquez will look to extend the Phillies’ win streak to five games, as well as earn his first victory of the season after a 0-2 start through three outings.
Miami comes to Citizens Bank Park after splitting six games out west against the Seattle Mariners (1-2) and San Diego Padres (2-1). Twelve of the Marlins’ 18 games so far have been away from Marlins Park, while only half of the Phillies’ 18 games have been on the road. The Marlins sit just one game ahead of the Phillies in the National League East standings.
Rain is in the forecast for South Philadelphia and will likely play a factor in the contest.
Starting Pitching Matchup:
| Miami Marlins (10-8) | Philadelphia Phillies (9-9) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LHP | Wei-Yin Chen | RHP | Vince Velasquez | ||
| (2-0, 3.94 ERA) | (0-2, 7.20 ERA) | ||||
Chen Career vs. PHI: 1-2, 3.70 ERA, 4 G, 4 GS, 24 1/3 IP, 32 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 3 HR, 2 BB, 20 SO, 1.397 WHIP
Through two career starts (11 1/3 innings) at Citizens Bank Park, Chen, 31, is 0-2 with a 4.76 ERA and 1.500 WHIP ratio. While he has 11 strikeouts and zero walks surrendered at the venue, Chen has surrendered seven runs (six earned) on 17 hits — two of which being home runs.
Chen tossed seven no-hit innings on 100 pitches in his most recent start, April 18 at Safeco Field. The Marlins lost the combined no-hit bid in the ninth, as outfielder Mitch Haniger hit a one-out double off of RHP Kyle Barraclough.
Velasquez Career vs. MIA: 1-0, 2.50 ERA, 3 G, 3 GS, 18 IP, 13 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 HR, 7 BB, 20 SO, 1.111 WHIP
Velasquez, 24, has struggled thus far through three starts, all against National League East opponents. Nearly half of his 15 surrendered hits have gone for extra bases: three doubles and four home runs. Velasquez’s 6.00 walks per nine innings pitched ratio is ninth-highest among all National League starters.
In making his 15th career start at Citizens Bank Park, Velasquez looks to even his all-time record at the venue to 5-5. The Phillies right-hander has struck out 102 of his 305 batters faced at home (33.4%).
Starting Lineups:
| Miami Marlins (10-8) | Philadelphia Phillies (9-9) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Player | Bats | Position | Player | Bats | ||
| 1 | 2B | Dee Gordon | L | 1 | 2B | Cesar Hernandez | S |
| 2 | 3B | Martin Prado | R | 2 | LF | Aaron Altherr | R |
| 3 | CF | Christian Yelich | L | 3 | CF | Odubel Herrera | L |
| 4 | RF | Giancarlo Stanton | R | 4 | 3B | Maikel Franco | R |
| 5 | LF | Marcell Ozuna | R | 5 | 1B | Tommy Joseph | R |
| 6 | C | J.T. Realmuto | R | 6 | RF | Michael Saunders | L |
| 7 | 1B | Justin Bour | L | 7 | C | Cameron Rupp | R |
| 8 | SS | Adeiny Hechavarria | R | 8 | SS | Freddy Galvis | S |
| 9 | P | Wei-Yin Chen | R | 9 | P | Vince Velasquez | R |
Broadcast Information:
- First pitch: 7:05 p.m.
- TV: CSN
- Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
Game Notes
- The series against the Marlins will conclude the Phillies’ stretch of 18 straight games against National League East opponents, who they are 8-7 against so far this season.
- Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis has the fourth-highest defensive WAR, 22.0. His offensive WAR, however, is the fourth-worst (-18.7).
- Galvis (.286/.286/.393) and outfielder Aaron Altherr (.400/.444/.680) are in the midst of seven-game hitting streaks.
- The Phillies placed RHP Aaron Nola on the 10-day disabled list Monday, retroactive to April 21, with a lower back strain, according to philly.com’s Matt Breen. Nola is expected to miss one-to-two starts and is believed to be replaced in the rotation Wednesday by RHP Nick Pivetta, who will make his Major League debut. Pivetta, 24, was acquired from the Washington Nationals on July 28, 2015, in exchange for Phillies all-time saves leader Jonathan Papelbon.
- The Phillie Phanatic made his mascot debut 39 years ago today, notes MLBPAA.
- Three active members of the Phillies have homered off of Chen in their respective careers: 1B/OF Daniel Nava, third baseman Maikel Franco and first baseman Tommy Joseph. Marlins outfielder Christian Yelich has tripled and gone yard twice spanning eight career at-bats against Velasquez. Slugger Giancarlo Stanton is hitless with two walks and three strikeouts through six at-bats in opposition of the right-hander.
NL East Standings (entering April 25, 2017)
| W | L | GB | L10 | Streak | Home | Road | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Nationals | 13 | 6 | — | 8-2 | L1 | 6-3 | 7-3 |
| Miami Marlins | 10 | 8 | 2.5 | 6-4 | W2 | 4-2 | 6-6 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 9 | 9 | 3.5 | 6-4 | W4 | 5-4 | 4-5 |
| New York Mets | 8 | 11 | 5.0 | 2-8 | L4 | 4-8 | 4-3 |
| Atlanta Braves | 6 | 12 | 6.5 | 4-6 | L6 | 4-3 | 2-9 |
What’s Next:
- Wednesday, April 26, 2017: vs. Miami Marlins, 7:05 p.m.
- Citizens Bank Park
- RHP Edinson Volquez (0-2, 4.82 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Pivetta (MLB Debut)
- TV: CSN; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
