The Miami Marlins (51-42) go for the broom Thursday night at loanDepot park, carrying a five-game winning streak and a 2-0 series lead over the Seattle Mariners (47-46). First pitch is 6:40 p.m. ET.
Miami has not allowed a run in two days. Tyler Phillips ran five scoreless through Seattle on Wednesday before Cade Gibson, Michael Petersen and Pete Fairbanks finished a 2-0 shutout, Fairbanks locking down his 13th save. Kyle Stowers homered in the second, Xavier Edwards tripled in a run in the third, and that was the whole ballgame. Seattle went hitless in five at-bats with runners in scoring position and wasted seven strikeouts from George Kirby.
How to Watch: Mariners at Marlins, July 9
- Date: Thursday, July 9, 2026
- First pitch: 6:40 p.m. ET
- Venue: loanDepot park, Miami, FL
- TV: Marlins.TV (Miami), Mariners.TV (Seattle)
- Streaming: MLB.TV (out of market), Fubo
- Radio: WQAM 104.3 and WAQI 710 (Miami); Seattle Sports 710 AM (Seattle)
Mexico second baseman Jared Serna is hit by a pitch in the ninth inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Italy, Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Mexico’s Randy Arozarena runs up the first base line during a World Baseball Classic game, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Seattle Mariners’ Randy Arozarena takes batting practice before a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Cincinnati Reds’ Rece Hinds, center, celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Janson Junk throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Friday, April 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Bryce Miller’s Splitter vs. Janson Junk’s Return
Bryce Miller (4-2, 1.71) is the best pitcher anyone in this ballpark will see this week. Since coming back in May, the Seattle right-hander has ridden a splitter that batters have hit .098 against with a .118 slugging mark and a 33 percent whiff rate. His walk rate sits at 2.7 percent, the top mark in the sport, and his expected ERA of 2.09 is 99th percentile. He shut out the Angels on two hits his last time out.
He also throws that splitter 29 percent of the time against left-handed hitters. Miami is starting five of them, plus a switch-hitter.
Janson Junk (3-5, 4.80) is back from six weeks with right shin bone inflammation, making his first start since May 25. Junk is not a strikeout pitcher — his 16.9 percent strikeout rate lives in the 14th percentile — but he throws strikes, and he arrives with a six-pitch mix and a quiet mechanical wrinkle: his arm angle has dropped from 53 degrees to 48 this season, the lowest of his career. Against left-handed hitters he leans on the changeup more than the slider. Seattle is starting six lefties.
The International Thread
Otto Lopez has been the story of Miami’s first half. The Dominican shortstop is slashing .345/.375/.518 with nine home runs, 43 RBIs, 17 steals and an .893 OPS that ranks 14th in the majors. He hit second Wednesday and collected two more hits.
Behind him: Heriberto Hernández, another Dominican bat, at designated hitter, and Panamanian infielder Leo Jiménez at third. Seattle counters with Randy Arozarena — Cuban-born, Mexican-capped, a .286 hitter with 19 steals — and Dominican center fielder Victor Robles. Julio Rodríguez remains on the seven-day concussion list.
The Mexico Connection
Arozarena spent this spring in a green jersey in Houston, playing for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. So did a Miami farmhand.
Jared Serna, the Marlins’ 24-year-old infielder from Guaymas, Mexico, made Mexico’s 2026 WBC roster and appeared in three games. He never took a swing. He walked to first twice after getting hit by a pitch, giving him a career WBC on-base percentage of 1.000 and a career WBC at-bat total of zero.
Serna is hitting .235 with eight home runs at Triple-A Jacksonville, holds a spot on Miami’s 40-man roster, and has spent the last five winters with Jalisco in the Mexican Pacific League. He is a phone call from this clubhouse. Arozarena is standing in the other one.
The Number
Miami enters as a home underdog despite the five-game streak and the nine-game gap in the standings, a reflection of how the market has priced Bryce Miller. Seattle sits around -125 on the moneyline, Miami around +105, with the total at 8. Books shade toward Seattle here almost entirely on the arm.
Injuries and Roster Moves
Marlins: Miami returned Janson Junk from a rehab assignment and reinstated him from the 15-day injured list Thursday, ending a stint with right shin bone inflammation. The club placed left-hander John King on the 15-day IL with a left lateral ankle sprain, retroactive to July 8, and outfielder Owen Caissie on the 10-day IL with a right calf strain. Right-hander Ryan Gusto and outfielder Rece Hinds were recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville; right-hander Zach Brzykcy was optioned. Anthony Bender, Adam Mazur, Andrew Nardi, Josh Ekness and Ronny Henriquez remain out.
Mariners: Julio Rodríguez (concussion), Brendan Donovan (groin), Rob Refsnyder (knee) and Matt Brash (lat) are all sidelined.
Starting Lineups
Seattle Mariners
- J.P. Crawford, 3B
- Randy Arozarena, LF
- Dominic Canzone, DH
- Cal Raleigh, C
- Josh Naylor, 1B
- Luke Raley, RF
- Cole Young, 2B
- Victor Robles, CF
- Colt Emerson, SS
Starting pitcher: Bryce Miller, RHP (4-2, 1.71)
Miami Marlins
- Liam Hicks, C
- Otto Lopez, SS
- Xavier Edwards, 2B
- Kyle Stowers, 1B
- Heriberto Hernández, DH
- Griffin Conine, LF
- Eury Ruiz, RF
- Jakob Marsee, CF
- Leo Jiménez, 3B
Starting pitcher: Janson Junk, RHP (3-5, 4.80)
