Miami Marlins @ Kansas City Royals Game Preview: Monday, August 12th 8:10 PM EST (Game 116)

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Marlins travel to Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City to take on the Royals in a 3 game series starting today.  Miami has been mired in a slump lately as they have won only 1 game in their last 8 contests.  Meanwhile Kansas City has been the exact opposite of slumping as they are sporting a 16-3 record since July 23rd.

The Marlins will send Tom Koehler to the mound.  The rookie will get his 14th start on the season and has a record of 3-7 on the year to go along with an ERA of 4.40.  It has been something of a Jekyll and Hyde act for Koehler as he has shown the makings of a solid starter at times, and other times he has looked like an over matched middle reliever.  He is hoping to pitch well through the rest of the season to cement his place among the excellent young arms that the Marlins are currently grooming.

Kansas City will answer with Wade Davis.  Davis spent the last 4 years pitching for the Rays but was sent to the Royals in a trade this offseason that cost Kansas City their top prospect in Wil Myers. Davis does not appear to have handled the transition well as he has an ERA above 5 and is allowing an extremely high amount of runners to reach base against him (WHIP- 1.74), both career highs.

Probable Starters

Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

2013 stats
20/14Games/Games Started21/21
92.0Innings Pitched109.2
4.40Earned Run Averages (ERA)5.42
4.00Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP)4.27
67Strikeouts99
32Walks47
Career vs. opponent
Innings Pitched8.1
Strikeouts4
Earned Run Average1.08

Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

  

  

 

Marlins Lineup

Lineup

Player

Current wOBA

Proj. wOBA (Rest of Season)

 

1

Christian Yelich

.314

.315

2

Donovan Solano

.269

.280

3

Giancarlo Stanton

.351

.393

4

Logan Morrison

.348

.345

5

Ed Lucas

.283

.286

6

Greg Dobbs

.263

.277

7

Adeiny Hechavarria

.257

.275

8

Jake Marisnick

.203

.290

9

Jeff Mathis

.247

.259

Miami will add Greg Dobbs into the starting lineup tonight as the DH since they are playing an American League team. Logan Morrison will be returning to the lineup tonight after receiving the day off yesterday.  He will look to continue his good month at the plate.

Bold Prediction:

Jake Marisnick hits his 2nd homerun of the season on a 2 for 4 night.  Koehler pitches 6 innings and gets some run support as the Marlins break out the bats in a big way tonight. Wade Davis gets hit early and often and the Marlins win 8-3!

Schedule