Phillies-Marlins 5 things: Can Alec Asher finish off the sweep?

Share

Phillies (67-82) vs. Marlins (73-75)
1:35 p.m. on CSN

Can the Phillies sweep the Marlins? Jeremy Hellickson set the Phils up with a complete game shutout Saturday and Alec Asher takes the hill for his third start of the season in pursuit of that sweep. The Fish send out Andrew Cashner.

Here are five things to watch Sunday afternoon.

1. Can Asher be just as good?
Asher has been a surprising success in the Phillies' rotation two times through. Can he do it a third time?

The first start was six innings of shutout ball against the Nationals, in which he did not strike out a single batter. Five days later, he held the Pirates to two runs on four hits and three walks over 6⅓ innings and struck out four.

Coming off an 80-game suspension for PEDs, the 24-year-old righty has looked sharp, much better than his 0-6 with a 9.31 ERA performance down the stretch last season.

Two of his final three starts last season came against this Marlins squad. He had his best start of his seven starts last season against Miami on Sept. 24, 2015, holding the Marlins to just one run on three hits and a walk over seven innings. He picked up a loss thanks to a silent night for the offense. On Oct. 3, he lasted just two innings and faced just 12 batters, giving up hits to half of them and surrendering three runs in a 5-2 loss.

Asher has been much better than last season through two outings, but can he keep it up today against the Fish?

2. A disappointing trade for the Marlins 
It seems like the Marlins' trade for Andrew Cashner and Co. hasn't turned out all that well. 

A few days before the trade deadline, the Marlins acquired Cashner, Colin Rea and a pitching prospect for four players with the idea they would bolster their rotation for a postseason run. Two games under .500, the Fish are far from the postseason.

And Cashner has been one reason why. In nine appearances for the Marlins, he has 6.13 ERA and is 1-4 in 39⅔ innings. He's allowed 47 hits and 22 walks, good for a 1.74 WHIP. His one win came against the Phillies 11 days ago, when he held the Phils scoreless for 5⅓ innings while striking out nine.

The trade was further hurt by Rea being damaged goods. Eleven batters into his Marlins career, he tore his UCL. It was later revealed the Padres had not disclosed all his medical records and had been secretive about medical records in multiple trades, leading to their general manager getting suspended. Rea was returned to the Padres for one of the prospects.

Cashner is coming off his worst start with the Fish. The 30-year-old righty allowed seven runs in just two innings of work while striking out none in a game against the last-place Atlanta Braves. 

3. Season series in review
The Phillies clinched a win in the season series with the Marlins on Saturday. They are 10-8 against the Fish this season with one game to go, their best mark against any division opponent so far this season — they're 8-8 against the Braves and 5-7 against the Mets.

The Phils won the 2014 and 2015 sets with the Marlins by one game, 10-9, and haven't lost the season series since 2008, when the Marlins took it 10-8. They split the series, 9-9, in 2009.

Phillies pitchers have a 3.43 ERA against the Marlins this season, the fourth best mark for the staff against any opponent. Their hitters have not had the same success. Despite Saturday's outburst, they are batting just .232/.301/.332 with 168 strikeouts in 18 games. 

Martin Prado continues to hit the Phillies well, batting .328 with a home run and eight RBIs this season. He even had one of the few hits off Hellickson Saturday. Meanwhile, Cesar Hernandez is batting .347 against the Marlins with seven walks in 79 plate appearances.

Hellickson has been dominant vs. Miami. He's 3-1 with a 2.01 ERA in 40⅓ innings against the Marlins and has started in four of the Phillies' 10 wins against them.

4. Players to watch
Phillies: Whomever the Phillies put at first base is likely to rake. Tommy Joseph hit his 20th home run last night, while Ryan Howard was out with knee soreness.

Marlins: The Marlins' bats have been quiet this series, but Dee Gordon is one of the few batters with hits in both games thus far.

5. This and that
• A few Marlins hitters have good track records against Asher. Gordon is 2 for 5, while Christian Yelich is 3 for 5 with a double and an RBI. J.T. Realmuto is 2 for 4 with a triple and an RBI.

• A.J. Ellis has the most at-bats of any Phillies hitter against Cashner because they faced each other in the NL West. Ellis is 7 for 18 vs. Cashner with two walks and four strikeouts.

• Freddy Galvis is a paltry 1 for 15 with five strikeouts against Cashner. Hernandez is 4 for 8 with a triple while Odubel Herrera is 4 for 9 with a home run.

• Cashner has 11 career appearances — five starts — against the Phillies. He's 3-1 with a 2.11 ERA with a complete game shutout in those games.

Contact Us