Marlins begin series against road-weary Phillies

Friday’s game between the host Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies would seem to highly favor the visitors.

After all, the Phillies (52-40) are in first place in the National League East and the Marlins (39-56) are last in the same division.

Further, the Phillies on Friday will be throwing veteran right-hander Jake Arrieta, who won the Alex Petrovic Jersey NL Cy Young Award in 2015 and a World Series title with the Chicago Cubs in 2016.

The Marlins will counter with left-hander Wei-Yin Chen (2-6, 6.14 ERA), who has been one of the biggest Damian Lillard Jersey flops in baseball in the third season of a five-year, $80 million contract.

You feel this team has gained an identity of how we play, Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. We are getting hits, moving runners, running the bases aggressively and pitching pretty well. That’s our game.

He understands how important it is to give us our best shot on Sunday, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. He’s got to pitch [Sunday]. And that’s what he wants to do.

Mikolas will still receive full All-Star honors in Washington.

There’s always the potential that you go there and don’t play, Matheny added. It’s just the honor more than anything — and the experience. It will be a great experience for him.

Stripling has been a big surprise since stepping into an injury-depleted rotation for the Dodgers. He is 7-2 with a 2.22 ERA in 24 games, including 13 starts. In his third big league season, he has 103 strikeouts and 13 walks in 89 1/3 innings.

The 19 runs were the most this season for Colorado and one short of the franchise best.

Diamondbacks: Reliever TJ McFarland left the game in the fourth inning with neck tightness. … Lovullo said OF Jarrod Dyson (right groin strain) is dealing with the break up of scar tissue related to http://www.officialblazershops.com/authentic-0-damian-lillard-jersey.html his 2017 hernia surgery and said the team http://www.officialfloridapanthers.com/Adidas-Alex-Petrovic-Jersey will keep him off his feet until after the break.