Phillies Tab Arrieta, Look to Snap 3-Game Skid Against Marlins

By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor

Four games out of the National League East with 25 games to go, the Philadelphia Phillies (72-65) will turn to nine-year veteran RHP Jake Arrieta in the second of a three-game set — opposite rookie RHP Trevor Richards and the Miami Marlins (55-83) — Tuesday evening at Marlins Park. Third baseman Maikel Franco is out of the lineup for the third straight game due to a swollen and sore right hand. His X-ray on Sunday came back negative, however he is expected to undergo a MRI "in the next day or so," according to NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jim Salisbury.

Prior to the game, the Phillies announced that infielder Jesmuel Valentin has cleared and has been sent outright to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, after being designated for assignment on Saturday to create space on the 40-man roster for Pedro Florimon. Valentin, 24, slashed just .177/.258/.304 with 24 strikeouts spanning 89 plate appearances this season. The Phillies also recalled infielder J.P. Crawford from Triple-A Lehigh Valley as a reinforcement for the injured Franco.

The Marlins placed third baseman Martin Prado on the 60-day disabled list with a right abdominal strain, activated LHP Jarlin Garcia and RHP Elieser Hernandez, recalled INF/OF Christopher Bostick, and purchased the contracts of RHP Tyler Kinley and OF Peter O'Brien from Triple-A New Orleans. The Marlins also transferred 1B/OF Garrett Cooper from the 10-day to the 60-day disabled list, after undergoing season-ending surgery in August to repair a partial tear of his right wrist tendon sheath.

The Phillies produced just one run on four hits, no walks and nine strikeouts during Labor Day's 3-1 series opener defeat against RHP Jose Urena and the Marlins. Phillies right-handed starter Vince Velasquez fell to 9-10, surrendering three runs on five hits, one walk and six strikeouts through five frames. Five Phillies relievers — Edubray Ramos, Adam Morgan, Victor Arano, Luis Avilan and Tommy Hunter — combined to allow just one hit with two strikeouts in three scoreless innings. Asdrubal Cabrera homered, his fourth in 33 games with the Phillies and 22nd overall of the season.

Through 32 career post-August regular season appearances, Arrieta is 15-6 (.714) with a 2.68 ERA, 0.946 WHIP, .201/.258/.329 opposing slash, and a 170-39 strikeout-to-walk ratio spanning 174 1/3 innings.

Starting Pitching Matchup:

RHP Jake Arrieta, Age: 32

• 2018 vs. MIA: 1-1, 4.91 ERA, 3 G, 3 GS, 14 2/3 IP, 14 H, 9 R, 8 ER, HR, 7 BB, 10 SO, 1.432 WHIP
• Career vs. MIA: 4-1, 2.66 ERA, 7 G, 7 GS, 40 2/3 IP, 30 H, 13 R, 12 ER, 3 HR, 11 BB, 36 SO, 1.008 WHIP
• Career at Marlins Park: 3-1, 2.92 ERA, 4 G, 4 GS, 24 2/3 IP, 22 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 HR, 6 BB, 19 SO, 1.135 WHIP

Arrieta tossed a season-tying-low three innings in his most recent start, home against the Washington Nationals on August 29. The right-hander is 5-6 with a 3.81 ERA and 1.295 WHIP through 13 starts on the road, and is 2-3 with a 4.26 ERA and 1.286 WHIP through eight second-half starts this season.

RHP Trevor Richards, Age: 25

• 2018 vs. PHI: 1-1, 2.40 ERA, 3 G, 3 GS, 15 IP, 14 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 HR, 7 BB, 13 SO, 1.400 WHIP
• Career vs. PHI: 1-1, 2.40 ERA, 3 G, 3 GS, 15 IP, 14 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 HR, 7 BB, 13 SO, 1.400 WHIP
• Career at Marlins Park: 2-3, 3.28 ERA, 9 G, 9 GS, 49 1/3 IP, 41 H, 18 R, 18 ER, 4 HR, 16 BB, 45 SO, 1.155 WHIP

Richards has faced the Major League Baseball first and second-best Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees over his last two starts, allowing just a combined five runs on six hits, five walks and 15 strikeouts over 11 innings. The rookie right-hander lost his most recent appearance against the Phillies on August 3, despite allowing only one run in five innings.

Starting Lineups:

Broadcast Information:

• First pitch: 7:10 p.m.
• TV: NBCSP
• Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP

Game Notes:

• Tuesday's Postseason Race Matchups:
  • St. Louis Cardinals (RHP John Gant) at Washington Nationals (RHP Erick Fedde), 7:05 p.m.
  • Boston Red Sox (RHP Rick Porcello) at Atlanta Braves (LHP Sean Newcomb), 7:35 p.m.
  • Chicago Cubs (LHP Mike Montgomery) at Milwaukee Brewers (LHP Wade Miley), 8:10 p.m.
  • San Francisco Giants (RHP Dereck Rodriguez) at Colorado Rockies (RHP German Marquez), 8:40 p.m.
  • San Diego Padres (LHP Joey Lucchesi) at Arizona Diamondbacks (LHP Robbie Ray), 9:40 p.m.
  • New York Mets (LHP Jason Vargas) at Los Angeles Dodgers (LHP Rich Hill), 10:10 p.m.
• In 14 games this season against each other, the Phillies have produced 70 runs, 39 extra-base hits and slashed .254/.333/.415, while the Marlins have produced 41 runs, 27 extra-base hits and slashed .210/.256/.321. Phillies pitching has a 2.94 ERA and 0.948 WHIP against the Marlins, whose pitching has a 4.88 ERA and 1.414 WHIP against manager Gabe Kapler's squad.

• Active Phillies hit streaks of five or more games:
  • Jorge Alfaro (8 games): 30 AB, 2 R, 10 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 0 BB, 7 SO, .333/.355/.567
  • Carlos Santana (6): 24 AB, 2 R, 8 H, HR, 4 RBI, 0 BB, 4 SO, .333/.333/.500
• Phillies left fielder Rhys Hoskins has three singles, one double, two RBI and one walk spanning eight plate appearances this season against Richards. Catcher Wilson Ramos hit a two-run home run off the right-hander at Marlins Park while with the Tampa Bay Rays on July 3 (click to expand).

What's Next:

Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018: at Miami Marlins, 7:10 p.m.

• Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pa.
• RHP Nick Pivetta (7-10, 4.66 ERA) vs. RHP Sandy Alcantara (1-0, 1.80 ERA)
• TV: NBCSP; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP