The Miami Marlins will try to stretch their five-game winning streak Friday night when they visit the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, with first pitch set for 6:40 p.m. ET. Braxton Ashcraft is listed to start for Pittsburgh, while Sandy Alcantara is expected to take the ball for Miami.
The matchup matters because both clubs arrive with something to protect. The Pirates are 35-34 and third in the NL Central, while the Marlins are 34-35 and fourth in the NL East. Miami’s run has pulled it back into the conversation, but the record still leaves the club with a losing mark even as the wins have piled up.
Ashcraft enters with a 5-3 record and a 3.28 ERA, while Alcantara is 5-4 with a 4.33 ERA. Those numbers put the game squarely on the arms listed to start, and that is part of why the marlins vs pirates search is drawing attention now: this is not just a midseason meeting, but a Friday test between two teams with recent momentum and enough standings pressure to make every inning matter.
There is still a small layer of uncertainty around Miami’s side, because Alcantara is expected to start rather than confirmed in the most absolute sense. That leaves room for a change before first pitch, even as the Marlins prepare as if he will be on the mound. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, is dealing with several injuries that could shape the night’s roster decisions, including Joey Bart on the 10-day injured list with a foot infection and Oneil Cruz on the 10-day injured list with a hand injury.
The injury list does not stop there. Konnor Griffin is on the 10-day injured list with a flexor tendon injury, Chris Devenski is on the 60-day injured list with an illness, and Endy Rodriguez is day-to-day with a hip injury. Miami also has its own long list of unavailable players, with Janson Junk, Josh Ekness and Eury Pérez on the 15-day injured list, and Adam Mazur, Andrew Nardi, Robby Snelling, Griffin Conine and Ronny Henriquez all on the 60-day injured list. Friday’s game at PNC Park is the next confirmed checkpoint, and the only thing left to settle is whether Alcantara takes the mound exactly as planned.
