Miami Marlins vs. Oakland Athletics: Three stories to watch

The Fish return to Marlins Park tonight for an absurdly short two-game homestand with the visiting Oakland Athletics.

Seriously, this should just be a Wednesday doubleheader. The Miami Marlins probably aren’t even unpacking for this one.

Chiefly, I’m griping because it is a two-game series. Difficult to win, maddeningly frustrating to split, demoralizing if you lose- the upside is usually minimal. True, the Marlins are playing better than the A’s.

But there’s a lot of room for this to be treated as an opportunity to tread water before ten games that could define the direction the team chooses to take the rest of the season.  Split between off days as it is presents opportunities for distraction, or rest.

These games matter, as the Marlins are burning two of their top three starters on this two-game, interleague spat. Wins are at a premium with the Braves, Nationals, and Cubs all on deck- all teams that the club has had their troubles with in the past.

I’ll make this prediction right now. If the Marlins don’t win at least seven of their next twelve games, the towel is being thrown in by the front office.

So this series carries a fair amount of weight to it. That’s been said for awhile now, but it remains the case every time out. That’s the hole the Marlins have dug for themselves. Taking a series off is not an option. All that is needed is for a runaway contender to lose an outfielder to an injury to suddenly throw a glaring spotlight on just what this team really is.

However, overdramatized stakes aren’t the only reason to tune in for this midweek mini-showdown of the last two MLB teams to have played home games in a football stadium. From a resurgent ace’s prospects, to the return of a top slugger, to a potential showdown at second base, we’ve got you covered with your three Miami Marlins stories to watch.

Let’s dive in.

What Should Miami Marlins Fans Expect From Edinson?

Obviously, the Miami Marlins have a deep pool of evidence to draw from when studying how long pitchers stay dialed in after tossing a no-hitter.

Having five more no-hitters than the New York Mets will do that.

So what exactly does the historical record say fans can expect from Edinson Volquez when he next takes the mound? Is he due to crash after a couple long outings? Or can we pencil this in as an easy Marlins victory?

It’s hard to say. Volquez’s run of four straight quality starts begins with a a game against these Athletics. But the A’s crushed him last year in two starts he made for the Royals. So we get to find out tonight whether that last outing was proof of adjustment or just aberration.

Volquez has turned in a quality performance in five of his last six, and followed up the no-hitter with seven sterling innings of shutout ball. Arm fatigue is definitely in play here.

If we go by the track record of success post no-no, the Fish are in pretty good shape. Al Leiter managed to reel off five straight quality starts following his. Kevin Brown finished just short of that mark at four.

A.J. Burnett was bombed in his first game post no-no (a hurdle Volquez has cleared), but followed it up with four straight games of 8.0 IP or better. Anibal Sanchez? Three straight quality starts, followed by a five inning win.

We’ll skip over Henderson Alvarez, who turned in one of the bigger mic drops in team history by tossing his gem on the last day of the season. So not much help there.

All that being said, I like his chances Wednesday. It will be the Nationals game that worries me.

Will Stanton Regain His Stroke?

Next up, the Miami Marlins will need their All-Star slugger to get his swing back in a hurry.

Giancarlo Stanton seemingly dodged significant injury Saturday, and returns to the starting lineup after missing only a single start. But that Sunday also saw the Marlins forced to run with a lineup missing four Opening Day position players.

Coaches and players are talk about not making excuses, spouting next man up aphorisms. But four injured starters is a lot for any team. That barren a lineup can’t happen again with a series still in doubt. So how effective Stanton can be- hitting, fielding, throwing, all of it, merits special attention here.

Prior to that Saturday injury, he was so locked in. He wasn’t just driving in runs, he was flirting with being a .290 hitter. That’s a potential breakthrough.

If the Marlins are to survive the next two weeks, they are going to need the Stanton they’ve had at their disposal the previous two weeks.

Tuesday’s home run would seem to suggest relief is in order. The bigger test will be if he plays in Wednesday’s finale and how he holds up over the weekend in Atlanta. If it seems he’s being handled, it could be more of the same old story coming our way.