Marlins vs Mets Preview: Ace in Focus & Comeback Hope

The Marlins just beat the Mets 9-7 yesterday in an incredible back-and-forth battle at Citi Field. Both teams swung the bat hard. The Mets scored four runs in the first inning alone, but Miami kept fighting back. Caissie smashed a two-run homer in the eighth to tie it up. Then Melendez launched a go-ahead shot in the tenth. The Marlins sit at 26-32, while the Mets are 24-33. Both teams need wins badly. Miami won the previous two games against New York, so the Mets are hungry for revenge tonight.

The Marlins are sending Tyler Phillips to the mound as their starting pitcher. He'll face off against the Mets' Christian Scott. Both teams have injuries stacking up in their rotations. Miami lost Eury Pérez to a right gracilis strain and Robby Snelling to Tommy John surgery. The Mets have Kodai Senga working his way back from a back injury. These rotations are thin right now. A pitcher who can give you six strong innings becomes huge. Phillips needs to keep the ball down and attack the zone early.

Look at the hitters stepping up for both squads. Vientos crushed a 445-foot home run yesterday for the Mets. Caissie and Marsee led Miami's charge with clutch hits and speed on the bases. Melendez's tenth-inning homer sealed the win for the Marlins. The Mets are missing Francisco Lindor, their star shortstop, but the rest of the lineup is swinging. Both teams know one more win this weekend could shift the whole feel of their seasons. Pitching matters, but right now hot bats are what wins these close games.