New York Yankees vs. Miami Marlins: Series Preview

We’re just gonna forget about the two grand slams the Yankees gave up in their 14-0 humiliation at the hands of the Rays. Luckily for us, the sight of Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo in Yankees uniforms should go a long way in wiping the memories of yesterday from our minds. Let’s see what they have to look forward to in the upcoming three-game series against the Marlins.

Friday: Jameson Taillon vs. Zach Thompson, 7:10 PM ET

Taillon will look to start the Yankees off on the right foot in the series opener. As Andrés detailed on Wednesday, Taillon has turned a corner with his performances. Across his last seven outings, he owns a 2.59 ERA, and although the strikeouts are down a few ticks, the right-hander has exhibited greater precision with his command. Taillon is finding the edge of the zone more consistently, leading to a drop in home runs and an increase in weak contact. In 19 starts, he is 6-4 with a 4.36 ERA, 4.46 FIP, and 93 strikeouts in 95 innings.

Opposite Taillon, Zach Thompson is scheduled to make his eighth start of the year. He throws a cutter/four-seamer/curveball mix, and although he won’t blow you away, both fastballs have been sneaky good. In a similar vein to Lucas Luetge and Nestor Cortes Jr., the elite spin on Thompson’s fastball allows it to punch above its velocity. On the season, he is 2-3 with a 2.45 ERA, 2.85 FIP, and 36 strikeouts in 33 innings.

Saturday: Domingo Germán vs. TBA, 6:10 PM ET

Germán starts the middle match in Miami, having recently rejoined the rotation after a stint coming out of the bullpen. He carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning of Sunday’s contest against the Red Sox, only to see the Jonathan Loaisiga and the bullpen blow another heartbreaker. He tied a career-high with 10 strikeouts that afternoon, and had the curveball, fastball, and changeup all working. In 20 games (17 starts), Germán is 4-5 with a 4.45 ERA, 4.40 FIP, and 90 strikeouts in 93 innings.

The Marlins have not named a starter for Saturday’s contest. This would be rookie Trevor Rogers’ spot in the rotation, but he went on the IL retroactive to July 20th with back spasms. However, manager Don Mattingly is optimistic he will miss the minimum amount of time, which conveniently lines up with this game. Rogers is one of the leaders in the NL Rookie of the Year race, and was the Marlins’ sole representative at the All-Star Game. He throws a hard fastball almost 60 percent of the time and also possesses a plus slider and plus changeup, all of which allow him to sit in the top quartile in most advanced metrics. In 19 starts, Rogers is 7-6 with a 2.37 ERA, 2.54 FIP, and 125 strikeouts in 106.1 innings.

Sunday: Jordan Montgomery vs. TBA, 1:10 PM ET

Jordan Montgomery has quietly become one of the better starting pitchers in MLB this year. He sits 17th in fWAR (2.5) and 20th in FIP (3.56), proving he has become more than just a fifth starter. He has not allowed an earned run across his last 14.2 innings, including 5.2 shutout frames against the Red Sox and five scoreless against the Rays. Across 20 starts, Montgomery, is 4-5 with a 3.78 ERA, 3.56 FIP, and 110 strikeouts in 109.2 innings.

Again, the Marlins have yet to name a starter for Sunday, but based on recent workloads, staff ace Sandy Alcantara projects to get the ball. Alcantara is one of THE exciting young pitchers in the league. The 2019 All-Star’s fastball averages 98 mph and can touch 101, while the changeup and slider are filthy strikeout machines. He has made 21 starts, to the tune of a 3.29 ERA, 3.67 FIP, and 110 strikeouts in 125.1 innings.