How do Diamondbacks Match Up With Marlins?

The Arizona Diamondbacks will travel to Florida to begin another road trip, this time taking on the Miami Marlins for a three-game set.

Arizona is coming off exciting series wins over the Milwaukee Brewers and Baltimore Orioles, and an overall successful 4-2 homestand. The D-backs are 9-7, despite being outscored 13-10 by Milwaukee, and failing to score a run for 17 straight innings to start that series.

The Marlins, however, are 8-7, and looking a bit better than expected, however that could be a result of facing the Pirates and Nationals for seven of their 15 games. (They are 5-2 in those games) Regardless, the D-backs will face a challenge on the road, as Miami is a scrappy ball club that can turn losses into wins.

Pitching Matchups

April 15, RHP Merrill Kelly (7.20 ERA) vs RHP Connor Gillispie (3.86 ERA)

Kelly is a crucial part of Arizona's rotation, and an upward trajectory is much-needed. That said, his 7.20 ERA is inflated by those nine runs allowed at Yankee Stadium, as he's gone a collective 11.1 innings with just two runs allowed in his other two starts.

Connor Gillispie is in just his second major league season, pitching eight innings of relief in 2024. So far in 2025, he's made three successful starts, though he hasn't gone exceptionally deep into games. His last outing saw him go four innings with two earned runs.

Gillispie throws a sweeper as his primary pitch, with a low-90s four-seam, soft cutter and changeup. He's a soft-contact flyball pitcher, with low strikeout and whiff numbers, and doesn't produce many ground balls.

April 16, RHP Brandon Pfaadt (3.50 ERA) vs RHP Max Meyer (2.00 ERA)

Pfaadt has once again begun to deliver consistent, lenghty outings. Though the long ball is still a problem with four homers surrendered in three starts, he's also only walked three against 12 strikeouts in 18 innings.

The newly-extended righty was Arizona's most reliable starter in 2024, and he's gone six innings with four or fewer earned runs each of his first three starts. His last outing saw him go six scoreless against the Orioles.

Max Meyer has had a hot start, pitching into the sixth each time out with just four runs given up over 18 innings. He collects a blend of strikeouts and groundouts, and has a deep arsenal, featuring a hard slider as his primary pitch.

His four-seam sits in the 95 MPH range, while he also has a hard changeup, sinker and occasional sweeper in the back pocket. Meyer is just 26 years old, entering his third year in the majors. His last outing was a 6.1-inning shutout against the Mets.

April 16, LHP Eduardo Rodríguez (4.86 ERA) vs RHP Edward Cabrera (3.18 ERA)

Rodríguez has certainly pitched better than his ERA, as he's been the victim of some poor defense. His xERA (3.36), FIP (3.46) and xFIP (2.71) all tell a different story from the ugly 4.86 ERA.

Still, the veteran lefty has been able to go deep into games, and has emerged as a surprisingly strikeout-heavy arm in a small sample size. He's struck out 10.8 batters per nine, including punching out 12 batters in Washington, D.C.

His last outing was a 6.1-inning Quality Start in which he allowed just two earned runs, but took the loss as Arizona was shut out.

Cabrera had a difficult 2024, as he suffered a right shoulder impingement and pitched just 96.1 innings, to generally poor results and a 4.95 ERA. His arsenal is balanced, with a changeup serving as his primary.

His four-seam and sinker can range between 96 MPH and 98 MPH, and he throws a hard slider and curve as well. Cabrera is still only 27, despite entering his fifth major league season. He's only made one start so far in 2025, going 5.2 innings and allowing two runs on four hits.

He did walk three, however, and has struggled with walks for most of his career. He's a strikeout arm that can create ground balls, but his 35.5% whiff rate is what stands out.

Bullpens

The Marlins have a deep bullpen of relatively unknown arms, as has been tradition for Miami. Anthony Bender, one of their two closing options, threw 21 pitches Sunday, but with the off day Monday, he will likely still be available. He's blown a save, but has a 1.23 ERA.

His co-closer Calvin Faucher has a 6.75 ERA, and both options have just one save. Notably, Miami has just one left-handed bullpen arm in middle reliever Anthony Veneziano, with their other two southpaws down to injury. Veneziano has four holds, but a 5.40 ERA.

For the Diamondbacks, the bullpen has been generally solid. Closer committee A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez are 5-for-5 in saves and 4-for-4 in holds. Martinez and his flaming triple-digit arsenal has yet to allow an earned run, while Puk has allowed two solo homers. Middle relievers Jalen Beeks and Shelby Miller have given up one collective run over 16.1 innings.

Offense

Corbin Carroll is white-hot, with a .333/.425/.698 slash, a OPS of 1.123 and five home runs. He picked up his first stolen base of the season against Milwaukee, and has been on base at least once in each of Arizona's first 16 games.

Geraldo Perdomo is slashing .333/.448/.490, good for a .938 OPS and a team-leading 13 RBI. He has walked an immense 13 times, while striking out only twice over 69 plate appearances.

Josh Naylor and Alek Thomas are also swinging hot bats, with averages well over .300, but the D-backs will need a bit more production out of Eugenio Suárez and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (.145 average each) to maintain a high offensive pace.

The Marlins have not had the most explosive offense, but Kyle Stowers, Griffin Conine and Xavier Edwards are all hitting above .300. Their home run leader is Matt Mervis with five, but he's also struck out 15 times against only three walks.

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