2020-09-25 19:05:00 EDT
The Miami Marlins and the New York Yankees meet Friday in MLB action from Yankee Stadium.
This will be the first installment of a three-game weekend series between the Marlins and Yankees. Miami is coming off a series versus the Braves. The Marlins fell in the first three games of that set, and on Thursday Miami was able to pull off a 4-2 victory to avoid the sweep. As for the Yankees, they played the Blue Jays this week. New York lost two of the first three games in that one, and in the Thursday finale the Yankees took another thumping and lost 4-1. Check back all season long for free MLB picks and MLB predictions at Sports Chat Place.
Miami posted nine hits to Atlanta’s six in the Thursday win. The Marlins’ Jon Berti put up three hits and two RBI in that one, and starting pitcher Pablo Lopez had 5.0 innings, two hits, no earned, two walks and six Ks in a victory.
For the Friday starting pitcher role, the Marlins are sending out Sandy Alcantara. In six games this season, Alcantara is 3-2 with a 3.12 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 34.2 innings of work. Over his MLB career, Alcantara is 11-19 in 52 games with a 3.74 ERA and 221 Ks in 274.1 innings.
Over on the Yankees’ side, their sway over Toronto has become precarious in the standings, and they were outhit 10-7 by the Jays Thursday. Luke Voit and Gio Urshela each had two hits there, and starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery posted three earned runs in 5.1 innings with six hits and eight strikeouts.
In the Friday starter slot, New York will send JA Happ to the mound. In his eight games this season, Happ is 2-2 with a 3.25 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 44.1 innings. Over his career in 323 games Happ is 123-92 with a 3.98 ERA and 1736.1 innings with 1536 strikeouts.
The Marlins are 45-93 in their last 138 road games and 44-93 in the last 137 games as an underdog. Miami is 3-8 in the last 11 interleague games and 3-8 in their last 11 versus the American League East.
Meanwhile, the Yankees are 4-1 in the last five Friday games and 56-15 in their last 71 home games versus a right-handed starter. New York is 58-20 in their last 78 home games and 68-20 in their last 88 home games as a favorite.
Pick: I’m going with New York here. The Yankees have faltered a bit this week, and don’t look like the team that had that big winning streak going last weekend. Alcantara has been good in September with a 2-1 record and a 2.25 ERA. Happ on the other side has been great as well, with a 1.93 ERA and 36 strikeouts over his last six starts. It’s going to be an interesting game, and probably a tight game, but I still like the Yankees to emerge victorious at the end.
