Marlins vs Phillies Prediction - MLB Picks 10/3/23

The Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies kick off the playoffs in a National League Wild Card series at Citizens Bank Park. These two teams faced off 13 times during the regular season and the Marlins were able to win seven of them. 

Can Marlins Continue to Surprise?

Heading into the 2023 season not many had the Marlins making the playoffs, but they are here, and now they are only two wins away from making the next round. One shocking stat surrounding the Marlins is they have a run differential of -56 which is the worst in baseball history. This isn’t a team that was exactly known for their offense but one of the key guys was Luiz Arraez who finished with a batting average of .354. One of the real strengths for this Marlins team is with the bullpen, and that could end up being key. On the mound for the Marlins is Jesus Luzardo and he sits with an ERA of 3.63. In his last start he went 7.1 innings giving up four hits and one run.

Pressure on the Phillies Here

There is a lot of pressure on the Phillies heading into this series. There is no pressure for the Marlins because just making it this far is great for them. Everyone expected the Phillies to make the playoffs now though, and losing this series would be an upset. For the Phillies it’s all about the bats, and the bats are going to be key here. Kyle Schwarber has hit 47 home runs and driven in 104 RBIs. Bryce Harper has also hit 21 home runs and driven in 71 RBIs. On the mound for the Phillies will be Zack Wheeler and he finished the regular season with a 3.61 ERA. In his last start against the Pirates he went four innings giving up four hits and one run.