The Chicago Cubs play host to the Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon in the series finale from Wrigley Field. The first two games have seen the Cubs surprise, securing the series and looking towards Sunday to go for the sweep. Both teams need a miraculous final few weeks to find themselves in the playoff race come to the end of September but that doesn't mean that this won't be a competitive finale.
There wasn't much expected of the Marlins this season but with their current run of play, it appears more and more likely that they'll be sitting at home come October. They've gone 2-8 in their last ten games and have lost the first two games of the series doesn't go well for their confidence going forward, especially with a tough set of games up next. Surprisingly though, they have been slightly better on the road than at home and even though they have struggled so far this weekend, won't let that slow them down in this one.
Injuries haven't been kind to the Marlins this season and without some of their top players available of late, the recent struggles make slightly more sense. Avisail Garcia (hamstring), Jorge Soler (back), and Jon Berti (groin), all remain out, with the absence of Jazz Chsholm Jr. (back) being the biggest miss. Adding to that are two relievers out as well, making things in teresting for this group.
Your starting left-fielder.
Welcome to the show! #MakeItMiami pic.twitter.com/xNXrDOvuUx
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) August 5, 2022
According to MLB.com, Jesus Luzardo will get the ball as the lefty looks to make his mark on the weekend. Luzardo comes in with a 2-4 record and 3.97 ERA, which are both great marks considering some of the lack of support he's had in the lineup. Injuries saw him miss most of the summer but he was electric in his first start back, allowing only two runs across five innings of work, as he looks to replicate that in this one.
The lineup, especially of late, has made it difficult for the Marlins to match up with most opponents, let alone being on the road. They rank in the bottom third of baseball in nearly every offensive category and while their best attribute is their strikeout rate, it isn't nearly high enough to help this team avoid some issues. Over the last week though, the offense has struggled to find any consistent hitting and with how the weekend has gone so far, they could be hard pressed to change things around in this one.