Braves aim to extend hot streak in Miami
MIAMI -- The Friday matchup between the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park doesn't have much to offer baseball fans.
The Braves (62-91) are the worst team in the National League and the second worst in the majors -- and that is after a recent hot streak.
The Marlins, who haven't made the playoffs since 2003, are a virtual lock to fall short yet again.
Even worse for Miami (76-77) is the fact that it struggles to beat the lowly Braves, who are 10-6 against the Marlins this year.
Atlanta, which beat Miami 6-3 on Thursday behind right-hander Josh Collmenter, is riding a six-game winning streak and is 18-12 since Aug. 21.
"If you walk into this clubhouse, you wouldn't be able to tell where (the Braves) are at in the standings -- first or last," Collmenter said. "Every day the guys come in, and there is a lot of energy and excitement."
So -- beyond this little Braves hot streak -- is there anything to look forward to this weekend in a series that figures to generate very little buzz nationwide or even in South Florida?
Well, there are always individual numbers and individual story lines.
Marlins right-hander Andrew Cashner, who starts on Friday, is nearing the end of a forgettable season. He is 5-11 with a 5.27 ERA this season. Since the Marlins acquired him from the San Diego Padres on July 28, Cashner has been even worse -- 1-4 with a 6.18 ERA in 10 games, nine starts.
He likely has three more starts in his Marlins career as he will be a free agent after this season and is not expected to return. And you can bet that will be a mutual decision since Cashner doesn't like the Marlins' no-beard policy.
Cashner's mound opponent Friday will be Braves right-hander Matt Wisler, who is 7-12 with a 4.93 ERA.
Wisler has not pitched well in his four career opportunities against the Marlins, going 0-2 with a 7.56 ERA. Both of the losses came this season, when the Marlins have pounded out 20 hits in 11 innings against Wisler.
Otherwise, though, Wisler has been solid this year, especially considering he is pitching for a last-place team. If he records a quality start on Friday, it would be his 15th of the season, which would tie Julio Teheran for the team lead.
Wisler will face a nemesis Friday, Marlins center fielder Christian Yelich, who was eight hits in nine at-bats against him.
Yelich belted his 20th homer of the season Wednesday. He is hitting .298 with a career-high 20 homers, a career-high 95 RBIs and eight steals.
Only three Marlins players -- Gary Sheffield, Cliff Floyd and Hanley Ramirez -- have had seasons with at least a .300 average, 20 homers, 100 RBIs and 10 steals.
"There is still room for him (to grow as a hitter)," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said of Yelich. "His home run (on Wednesday) was one of the first true pull-side homers we've seen from him where he hits it clean and gets the right angle.
"His power is coming. He's only going to get better. Crossing those barriers (such as 20 homers), you start to know you can. To double (his homer total from last season), your mind goes, 'I can do that.'"
Another player whose confidence is growing is Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, who drove in two runs Thursday and extended his hitting streak to 26 games. It is the longest active hitting streak in the majors and the longest by a Braves player since Dan Uggla had a run of 33 games in 2011.