Miami Marlins vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 5/9/2022

Time: 9:40 p.m. ET

Venue: Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ

Where to watch: Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Sun, Bally Sports Arizona

DraftKings: Marlins -120, Diamondbacks +100

BetMGM: Marlins -120, Diamondbacks +100

Caesars: Marlins -120, Diamondbacks +100

Marlins: 13-15

Diamondbacks: 15-14

Where in the world has this been for the Arizona Diamondbacks? It's taken a bit of time. but are we really sitting here in early May to discuss Arizona having one of the best rotations in Major League Baseball?

It sure as hell is a weird time with the D-Backs, but they are a game over .500 entering their 30th game of the season and they'll get reacquainted with the Miami Marlins after playing in Miami just a week ago.

Arizona is coming off a weekend in which they took two of three against the suddenly struggling Colorado Rockies with the finale a 4-0 shutout by way of the home team. Zac Gallen continued his great start with seven scoreless innings while striking out seven.

"You see a guy go out there pitching well, you want to do your part," Gallen said. "You don't want to be the weak link. It's going through the whole clubhouse. The pitching staff, we're trying to bring that edge, that tenacity."

The Diamondbacks may not be completely filled with all-stars just yet, but you look at Gallen and how well he's been, Merrill Kelly is their leader in ERA, Madison Bumgarner is still kicking it. This group, at least the rotation, has given D-Backs fans something to look forward to.

"That's how you follow a game plan, right?" Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "You want your starting pitcher to attack, give you a chance to win the game by controlling their offensive potential."

Gallen and Kelly have at least combined to give the Diamondbacks the second-lowest ERA in the league.

"I felt I kind of got sharper as the game went on," Gallen said. "The curveball was OK early in the game, I just tried to make an adjustment throughout the game."

The Marlins, meanwhile, we're one out away from putting together a series victory over the San Diego Padres, but Jorge Alfaro hit a pinch-hit three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth for a 3-2 win over Miami.

"It's a brutal way to end the series," Marlins reliever Cole Sulser said. "Feels always terrible to let your team down, especially when they go out there and do their job well. The rest of our pitchers did an awesome job for eight innings. Trevor [Rogers] did great, [Anthony] Bass did great, [Steven] Okert. Everyone who was in there. It's a pretty terrible feeling to go in there and blow it at the very end."

Anthony Bender, who leads the Marlins with six saves, did not see the ninth. Don Mattingly went with Susler instead.

"Sulser is a left-right guy," Mattingly said. "We like him both ways. He's been good for us. Bender was in a good spot for him, and the same with Anthony. It's not necessarily the inning that they'll always pitch in, but we liked the matchups right through that area. Felt like the seventh, eighth were both kind of right-handed spots."

Miami has been better than anticipated so far, but that's been in part to Jazz Chisholm being an All-Star candidate at second base. Pablo Lopez has also gotten off to a great start with his ERA sitting at 1.00. But Sunday clearly proved that there's still room for growth.

I like the way the D-Backs have played at home. There's still plenty of baseball left to go, but their starters are playing proud and if they can get some consistency going, this should be another victory for Arizona. Diamondbacks win 6-4

Marlins are 2-7 this season against NL West teams.

Marlins are 9-11 against right-handed starters this season.

Diamondbacks are 54-71 at home the past three seasons.

Diamondbacks are 5-7 as a home underdog this season.

Marlins:
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L) 2B
Jesus Aguilar (R) 1B
Jorge Soler (R) LF
Jesus Sanchez (L) CF
Avisail Garcia (R) RF
Garrett Cooper (R) DH
Brian Anderson (R) 3B
Miguel Rojas (R) SS
Jacob Stallings (R) C
SP - Elieser Hernandez

Diamondbacks:
Daulton Varsho (L) CF
Jordan Luplow (R) RF
David Peralta (L) LF
Christian Walker (R) 1B
Cooper Hummel (S) DH
Sergio Alcantara (S) 3B
Carson Kelly (R) C
Nick Ahmed (R) SS
Geraldo Perdomo (S) 2B
SP - Humberto Castellanos

Batting average: Jazz Chisholm -- .310

Hits: Jazz Chisholm -- 27

Home runs: Jazz Chisholm -- 5

RBI: Jazz Chisholm -- 21

Wins: Pablo Lopez -- 4

Saves: Anthony Bender -- 6

ERA: Pablo Lopez -- 1.00

Diamondbacks:

Batting average: Pavin Smith -- .250

Hits: Daulton Varsho -- 23

Home runs: Two tied -- 6

RBI: Daulton Varsho -- 13

Wins: Merrill Kelly -- 3

Saves: Mark Melancon -- 5

ERA: Merrill Kelly -- 1.22