Red Sox Series Preview: Meet the Marlins

Jul 5, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Koji Uehara (19) pitches during the ninth inning of the Boston Red Sox 5-4 win over the Houston Astros at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY SportsOptimism is on the upswing at Fenway Park for the Red Sox after they took their weekend series with the AL West leading Houston Astros in dramatic fashion with a late home run.  On Tuesday, the Sox take on the Miami Marlins for an abbreviated two game set, in an unusual week when the Red Sox will have two days off in the last week before the All-Star Game on Tuesday July 14.  The Yankees follow the Marlins in to town on Friday but the Red Sox need to keep their momentum going into that huge series.

The Miami Marlins are in fourth place in the National League East.  Their record is 35-48 and they are 11 games behind the first place Washington Nationals.  The team expected to be better.  The Marlins traded minor leaguers for starting pitcher Dan Haren and second baseman Dee Gordon from the Dodgers.  They inked Giancarlo Stanton and outfielder Christian Yelich to long extensions.  Like the Red Sox, they had a difficult May which sent them under .500 from which they have been unable to recover.  Unlike the Red Sox, it cost their manager Mike Redmond his job.  Dan Jennings, the Marlins former GM, took his place despite no managerial or big league experience on May 17.  His record is 19-26 in his first season at the helm.

The Marlins are not a good road team, currently sporting a 14-26 record away from home. They lost their last two games at the Chicago Cubs after a four game winning streak, including sweeping the San Francisco Giants in Miami. Let’s take a look at the Marlins, who recently lost Stanton to a broken hand (who was voted to be an All-Star starter) which has everyone writing them off from contending this season.