The Houston Astros are set to take on the Miami Marlins in the first game of a three-game series, scheduled for Monday at 6:40 p.m. ET at loanDepot park in Miami. The matchup will feature Sandy Alcantara (6-9, 6.36 ERA) for the Marlins against Jason Alexander (1-1, 7.36 ERA) for the Astros.
Sandy Alcantara has made 22 starts this season and comes off a strong performance against the St. Louis Cardinals, where he pitched five scoreless innings and allowed only three hits. The right-hander has a total of 81 strikeouts across 109 2/3 innings, and he will be looking to extend his streak of games in which he has pitched at least five innings. With his current momentum, Alcantara aims to preserve a two-game streak without an earned run.
On the other side, Jason Alexander will be making his fourth start of the season for the Astros. He recently pitched 4 2/3 innings against the Washington Nationals, allowing two earned runs. Alexander, who has played a total of eight games this season, boasts a solid strikeout rate but has struggled with walks.
As both teams prepare for this matchup, the Marlins currently hold a slightly better batting average (.252) than the Astros (.256) and hope to capitalize on any offensive opportunities to secure a win at home.
This matchup not only showcases the skills of both starting pitchers but also represents a crucial moment in the season for both teams as they vie for playoff positioning. With key performances expected, baseball fans can look forward to an exciting game.
By analyzing recent performances, both pitchers seem poised to make significant contributions to their teams, which may lead to a tightly contested encounter.