Diamondbacks-Marlins prediction: Picks, odds on Sunday, April 16

The Miami Marlins will look to finish off a weekend sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks in a battle of aces from loanDepot Park in south Florida. Zac Gallen (1-1, 4.58 ERA) takes the hill for the D-backs, while reigning NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara (1-1, 5.79) counters for Miami. First pitch is set for 1:40 p.m. ET.

The Marlins are currently listed as -125 favorites on the moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook, while Arizona is a narrow +105 underdog. Befitting such a star-studded pitching matchup, this is one of the lowest run totals of the day at 7.

Diamondbacks-Marlins picks: Sunday, April 16th

Marlins

Day to day: INF Luis Arraez (finger), OF Jorge Soler (back)

Out: SS Joey Wendle (intercostal strain), SP Johnny Cueto (biceps), RP JT Chargois (oblique), RP Steven Okert (adductor strain)

Diamondbacks

Out: SP Zach Davies (oblique), C Carson Kelly (distal ulnar fracture), RP Joe Mantiply (shoulder), OF/DH Kyle Lewis (illness), RP Mark Melancon (shoulder)

Zac Gallen vs. Sandy Alcantara

Two of the NL's best over the last couple of years square off in Miami, although neither ace has fully looked the part just yet in 2023. Gallen is coming off of his best start of the year, seven shutout innings with 11 Ks and just three hits allowed against the Milwaukee Brewers. He struggled in tough assignments at the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres to start the year, but there isn't too much cause for concern – his changeup and curveball are still elite, and he still is as good a bet to go deep into games as there is.

Alcantara followed a brilliant complete-game shutout of the Minnesota Twins with a nightmare of an outing against the Philadelphia Phillies, in which the righty was tagged for nine runs on 10 hits in four innings of work. There was more than a little bad BABIP luck involved there, though, and sometimes starts like this just happen.

This is a miniscule number, but it's also one that these teams failed to hit on Friday (5-1) and Saturday (3-2). These are two mediocre lineups facing two of the best right-handed starters in baseball, one of whom is coming in hot while the other is out for revenge. Expect runs to be at a premium today.

Pick: Under 7

The starting pitching matchup is a coin-flip, but I think Arizona has just slightly more offensive firepower in guys like Corbin Carroll and Christian Walker. The Diamondbacks' bullpen situation gives plenty of cause for pause, but Alcantara feels like the more gettable of these two aces today and I'll take Arizona to avoid the sweep given the better odds.

Pick: Diamondbacks

  
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