Hot Marlins, Yankees Set for Showdown in the Bronx

NEW YORK (Interstat) — Two of baseball’s hottest teams will meet Friday when the Miami Marlins visit the New York Yankees for the start of a three-game series at Yankee Stadium.

Both clubs enter with identical 5-1 records, riding strong early-season pitching. The game is scheduled for a 7:05 p.m. first pitch under cloudy skies with temperatures around 46 degrees.

The Marlins, coming off a 10-0 rout of the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, will send right-hander Eury Pérez (0-0) to the mound. The Yankees counter with right-hander Will Warren (0-0).

While the probables are seeking their first decisions, the series will feature two of the game’s most dominant arms in recent outings. Miami’s Sandy Alcantara, a player to watch, is coming off a complete-game, three-hit shutout with seven strikeouts against the White Sox. In his prior start, he threw seven scoreless innings against Colorado.

For the Yankees, Cam Schlittler has been equally impressive. The right-hander allowed just two hits over 6 1/3 scoreless innings in a win at Seattle on Wednesday. In his previous outing at San Francisco, he gave up one hit over 5 1/3 shutout frames.

The Marlins’ offense erupted for 10 runs on 12 hits Wednesday, led by catcher Liam Hicks (3 for 4, HR, 4 RBIs) and shortstop Otto Lopez (2 for 4, HR, RBI). The Yankees also won Wednesday in Seattle, 5-3, powered by a two-run homer from designated hitter Ben Rice and a three-run shot from first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, the Marlins are projected for a 7-5 victory. However, sportsbooks list the Yankees as a -1.5 run favorite with an over/under of 8 runs.

Following this series, the Marlins return home to face the Cincinnati Reds for four games beginning Monday. The Yankees will host the Athletics for a three-game set starting Tuesday.