Phillies, Marlins set to square off in doubleheader

(Wally Gobetz/Flickr Creative Commons)

By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor

PHILADELPHIA — In order to make up for April 25's rainout, the Philadelphia Phillies (45-77) and Miami Marlins (60-62) will partake in a single-admission, twin-bill doubleheader Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park. Right-handers Dan Straily and Aaron Nola will square off in the first game, followed by Jose Urena and Nick Pivetta in the latter half. The twin bill will mark the first two of the three-day, four-game set.

Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton enters with a MLB-best 45 home runs and .644 slugging percentage. Stanton heads into Tuesday's doubleheader with 97 RBIs; he could reach the 100-RBI plateau for just the second time of his eight-year career (2014, 105 RBIs).

Phillies 1B/OF Rhys Hoskins will look to bring his acclaimed power to Citizens Bank Park after batting .320/.452/.920 with five home runs and eight RBIs during the club's seven-game west coast trip. Hoskins has just one hit and one RBI through his first 16 career plate appearances at home. The last Phillie to match Hoskins' five home runs through his first 11 games was catcher Bobby Estalella (1996-97).

Prior to the game, the Phillies announced that RHP Vince Velasquez has been transferred to the 60-day disabled list and will undergo season-ending surgery to repair blood clogging and numbness in his right middle finger. Right-hander Yacksel Rios' contract was purchased from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Phillies signed former Marlins All-Star RHP Henderson Alvarez to a minor league pact in a corresponding move. Right-hander Zach Eflin was also placed on the 10-day disabled list with a right shoulder strain.

The Phillies have won two straight overall, in addition to taking two straight against the Marlins, away on July 18-19. Pivetta bested Straily in the mid-July series finale behind the Phillies' 10-run, 20-hit offensive outburst. Both clubs have split their eight meetings thus far in 2017, with the Phillies taking each of their two home games on April 26-27.

Starting Pitching Matchup:

Miami Marlins (60-62)					Philadelphia Phillies (45-77)
Game 1	RHP	Dan Straily (7-8, 3.80 ERA)			RHP	Aaron Nola (9-8, 3.26 ERA)
Game 2	RHP	Jose Urena (11-5, 3.61 ERA)			RHP	Nick Pivetta (4-8, 6.25 ERA)

Straily Career vs. PHI: 2-1, 2.70 ERA, 3 G, 3 GS, 16 2/3 IP, 24 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 0 HR, 7 BB, 23 SO, 1.860 WHIP
Urena Career vs. PHI: 0-2, 7.02 ERA, 7 G, 3 GS, 16 2/3 IP, 20 H, 13 R, 13 ER, 3 HR, 5 BB, 16 SO, 1.500 WHIP

The Marlins are winless in each of Straily's seven starts since the All-Star break. Over this stretch, the right-hander is 0-4 with a 5.20 ERA and 26-to-10 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 36 1/3 innings. Opposing batters are hitting .326/.363/.535 with six home runs.

Straily, 28, is 1-1 in two home starts against the Phillies this season, May 31 and July 19, where in 11 2/3 combined innings he has surrendered six runs (five earned) with 17 strikeouts.

Over his last six starts, Urena, 25, is 4-1 with a 2.80 ERA and 23-to-10 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 35 1/3 innings. The right-hander last opposed the Phillies on Sept. 17 at Citizens Bank Park, where in just two innings he allowed seven runs on as many hits, two walks, three strikeouts and a home run.

Urena leads the Marlins in wins (11), followed by Straily and former Phillies RHP Dustin McGowan with seven each.

Nola Career vs. MIA: 1-1, 2.74 ERA, 4 G, 4 GS, 23 IP, 16 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 HR, 5 BB, 20 SO, 0.913 WHIP
Pivetta Career vs. MIA: 1-0, 5.06 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 5 1/3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 HR, BB, 4 SO, 1.125 WHIP

Nola, 24, saw his 10-game quality start streak come to an end in his most recent appearance, away against the San Francisco Giants on August 17. The right-hander allowed five runs spanning five innings, his most runs allowed in a start since June 16 against the Arizona Diamondbacks (5). Despite the minor setback, Nola is still 6-3 with a 2.21 ERA and 81 strikeouts over his last 11 starts (73 1/3 innings).

Pivetta, 24, is coming off of a career-best 11-strikeout performance, away against the San Diego Padres on August 16. Yet, he suffered the loss, allowing three runs through five frames as the Phillies went on to lose 3-0. The right-hander was sent down to Triple-A Lehigh Valley following the contest, however he rejoins the Phillies on Tuesday as their 26th man.

Both Nola (May 31) and Pivetta (July 19) have one start against the Marlins this season, allowing three earned runs each in three and 5 1/3 innings, respectively.

Game 1 Starting Lineups:

Miami Marlins (60-62)				Philadelphia Phillies (45-77)
	Position	Player	Bats		Position	Player	Bats
1	2B	Dee Gordon	L	1	2B	Cesar Hernandez	S
2	RF	Giancarlo Stanton	R	2	SS	Freddy Galvis	S
3	CF	Christian Yelich	L	3	CF	Nick Williams	L
4	LF	Marcell Ozuna	R	4	LF	Rhys Hoskins	R
5	C	J.T. Realmuto	R	5	1B	Tommy Joseph	R
6	3B	Derek Dietrich	L	6	RF	Hyun Soo Kim	L
7	1B	Tomas Telis	S	7	3B	Maikel Franco	R
8	SS	Miguel Rojas	R	8	C	Cameron Rupp	R
9	P	Dan Straily	R	9	P	Aaron Nola	R

Broadcast Information:

Game 1 first pitch: 4:05 p.m.
Game 2 first pitch: 30 minutes after conclusion of Game 1
TV: CSN
Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP

Game Notes:

In seven games and 28 plate appearances against the Phillies this season, Stanton is batting .304/.429/1.000 with eight RBIs and seven hits — one single, one double and five home runs. The 27-year-old is one home run shy of setting a single season career high against the Phillies, with 11 meetings still to be played between the two clubs.

Injury Report:
- Marlins
  - 1B Justin Bour (right oblique strain), out indefinitely
  - SS J.T. Riddle (left shoulder slap tear), possible 2018 return
  - 3B Martin Prado (arthroscopic right knee surgery), possible late 2017 return
  - LHP Jarlin Garcia (left biceps strain), status uncertain
  - LHP Chris O'Grady (right oblique strain), status uncertain
  - RHP Nick Wittgren (right elbow strain), out indefinitely
  - RHP Wei-Yin Chen (partially torn ulnar collateral ligament), possible September return
  - RHP Edinson Volquez (Tommy John surgery), possible late 2018 return
- Phillies
  - OF Odubel Herrera (left hamstring strain), possible late August return
  - OF Daniel Nava (lower back strain), possible late August return
  - OF Aaron Altherr (strained right hamstring), possible mid-August return
  - C Andrew Knapp (bruised right hand), possible early September return
  - RHP Zach Eflin (right shoulder discomfort), day-to-day
  - RHP Vince Velasquez (right middle finger numbness), possible 2018 return
  - RHP Casey Fien (rotator cuff strain), out indefinitely
  - RHP Clay Buchholz (forearm surgery), possible September return

Phillies first baseman Tommy Joseph is 5-5 lifetime against Urena (Game 2) with a double, two home runs, one walk and five RBIs (1.000/.857/2.400). Third baseman Maikel Franco is 4-7 lifetime against Straily (Game 1), with a RBI, walk and strikeout each. Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto is hitless in five career at-bats against Nola (Game 1), while outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is a combined 0-6 lifetime against Nola and Pivetta (Game 2).