Series Preview: Pittsburgh Pirates at Miami Marlins with Probable Starting Pitching 3/27-3/30

Pittsburgh Pirates (0-0) at Miami Marlins (0-0)

Game 1:

Date: Thursday, March 27
Time: 4:10 pm EST
Broadcast: SNP/FDSN FL

Game 2:

Date: Friday, March 28
Time: 7:10 PM
Broadcast: SNP/FDSN FL

Game 3:

Date: Saturday, March 29
Time: 4:10 pm EST
Broadcast: SNP/FDSN FL

Game 4:

Date: Sunday, March 30
Time: 1:40 PM
Broadcast: SNP/FDSN FL

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Probable Starting Pitchers

Game 1: Paul Skenes (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Sandy Alcantara (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Skenes gets the season started for Pittsburgh. The young phenom last season went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA, a 2.44 FIP, a 0.95 WHIP, and 11.5 K/9. Alcantara gets the ball for the Marlins. He makes his return after missing all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Game 2: Mitch Keller (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Connor Gillispie (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Keller gets the second game for the Pirates. He went 11-12 with a 4.25 ERA, a 4.08 FIP, a 1.30 WHIP, and an 8.4 K/9. Gillispie last season made three appearances out of the bullpen for Cleveland. He posted a 2.25 ERA, a 3.04 FIP, a 1.13 WHIP, and a 9.0 K/9.

Game 3: Andrew Heaney (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Valente Bellozo (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Heaney makes his Pirates debut. Last season, with the Rangers, he went 5-14 with a 4.28 ERA, a 4.04 FIP, a 1.25 WHIP, and an 8.9 K/9. Bellozo last season made 13 starts, going 3-4 with a 3.67 ERA, a 5.73 FIP, a 1.31 WHIP, and a 5.8 K/9.

Game 4:) Bailey Falter (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Max Meyer (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Falter gets the finale for the Pirates. Last season, he went 8-9 with a 4.43 ERA, a 4.30 FIP, a 1.29 WHIP, and a 6.1 K/9. Meyer made 11 starts with the Marlins last season. He went 3-5 with a 5.68 ERA, a 5.90 FIP, a 1.42 WHIP, and a 7.3 K/9.

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Player To Watch:

Pittsburgh Pirates

Oneil Cruz posted a 2.5 WAR in 2024. He hit .259 in 146 games with a .773 OPS; he had 34 doubles, three triples, 21 home runs, 76 RBI, and 72 runs scored. In 12 career games against the Marlins, he’s hitting .238 with a .833 OPS; he has a triple, three home runs, seven RBI, and nine runs scored. Last season in seven games, he hit .250 with a .857 OPS; he had two doubles, five RBI, and six runs scored.

Miami Marlins

Jesus Sanchez in 149 games last season, hit .252 with a .731 OPS; he had 25 doubles, a triple, 18 home runs, 64 RBI, and 60 runs scored. In 23 games against the Pirates in his career, he’s hitting .182 with a .450 OPS; he has three doubles, five RBI, and seven runs scored. Last season, in six games, he went 4-20 with a double, three RBI, and two runs scored.

Next Up:

Pittsburgh: March 31st-April 2nd at Tampa Bay Rays
Miami: March 31st- April 2nd vs. New York Mets