2023 MLB playoffs Phillies vs Marlins preview: Wild Card series pitchers, lineups, stats...

If one thing is certain about the Wild Card series between the Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins, it’s that nothing is. Both teams are stacked and with that, we’re likely in for quite a ride in this best-of-three contest.

Phillies vs. Marlins: The lay of the land

About a year ago, the Philadelphia Phillies lost Game 6 of the 2022 World Series which in turn brought an end to their post-season run. As you can probably imagine there was disappointment in the team, however, there was also a sense of gratitude for what was. After all, the Phillies were the last team to clinch a postseason spot last year, after winning a total of 87 games to secure the final place in the National League. Of course, any doubts about the team were quickly laid to rest as they marched toward the ‘Fall Classic’ in style. It goes without saying, that the team will be hoping to finish the job this year, starting with their date with the Marlins, something they appear to be taking very seriously. “Nothing is going to be easy,” Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber said. “They’re all really good teams in the postseason. Miami is a really good team. We’ve got to do what we do.”

Indeed, they are. Following 85 wins in the NL, the Miami Marlins are back in the postseason for the first time since they won the World Series back in 2003. That’s not to say they’re out of their depth. Not in the least. Consider for a moment that the Marlins won the season series with the Phillies 7-6, and four of those were clinched by a single run. This is all to say that Miami can play and they know it. “I think it definitely helped get [us] here, and so if we are in those situations, we know we’ve been there before and we’re able to fight back,” Miami manager Skip Schumaker said.

Phillies vs. Marlins: What are the starting lineups?

Miami Marlins

The big news out of Miami is that All-Star second baseman Luis Arraez has overcome the left ankle problem that has seen him sidelined since September 23rd. To that end, he will be in the high up in the batting order come game time. There are also Josh Bell and Jake Burger - Trade Deadline additions - who have given the Marlins some serious power in the middle of the order. Between the two of them, they’ve got 20 HRs and 54 RBIs since they joined. Lastly, we’ve got Jon Berti who has been included at Garrett Hampson’s expense, while Joey Wendle also gets a nod. Here’s a look at the full starting lineup:

Philadelphia Phillies

It’s no secret that the Phillies have one of the deepest rosters in baseball right now. There are no less than six players in the lineup who have hit 20 or more home runs, while two have but more than 100 RBIs on the board. Take a moment to process the idea that the Phillies finished the regular season ranked in the top 10 in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, runs scored, and home runs. This is all to say that there is a lot of firepower in this team. Where specifics are concerned, it’s a known fact that Cristian Pache deals with left-handed pitchers better than Brandon Marsh and so he’s got the nod ahead of his teammate for Game 1. Here’s a look at how the Phillies will look when they start: