The set-up: The 16-11 Philadelphia Phillies open a three-game series tonight against the host 9-18 Miami Marlins. Sunday's 10-1 rout by Atlanta means the Phillies have dropped four of six overall, after losing two of three to the Braves for the third time this season. Meanwhile,the Marlins posted their fourth win in five games with Sunday's 3-0 triumph over Colorado. but the NMarlins are still playing just .333 baseball. "Early in the season, we were finding a way to lose," Miami manager Don Mattingly told reporters. "To put a couple of series in a row together, that's the only way we're going to ever get marching down the road toward respectability."

The pitching matchup: Jake Arrieta (3-0, 1.82 ERA) gets the ball for Philly and will be opposed by the Marlins' Dan Straily (2017: 10-9, 4.26). Arrieta Signed to a three-year, $75 million deal in teh off-season but didn't put his best foot forward in his first start of the 2018 season, exiting after four innings of a no-decision versus the Miami Marlins back on April 8. However, he's won all three of his starts since, allowing just three ERs while scattering 12 hits and striking out 13 in 20 2/3 innings. Straily is coming off the disabled list to make his first start of 2018, after being sidelined with a right forearm inflammation. He struck out 12 over 13 innings during three rehab starts and looks to provide a workhorse presence for Miami after logging a team-high 181 2/3 innings last season (was 10-9 with a 4.26 ERA in 33 starts) He owns a 4-2 career mark versus Philadelphia but a less-than-desirable 5.35 ERA and 1.78 WHIP while allowing the club to bat .338 against him (??).

The pick: No one can be quite sure how effective Straily will be in his 2018 debut but we do know that Arrieta, who won the Cy Young award in 2015 and the World Series in 2016 for the Cubs, has looked sharp. The Marlins aren't playing any better at home (5-10), than they are on the road (4-8). Make Philly an 8* play.