Houston Astros vs Miami Marlins Picks and Predictions July 11th 2024

Astros and Marlins Focus on Pitching Staffs as Season Progresses

As the All-Star break nears and the Houston Astros struggle through a difficult first half of the season with six starting pitchers injured, Houston manager Joe Espada is especially grateful for the back-to-back quality starts from his rotation.

Following Blanco’s strong seven-inning performance in the series-opening victory against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday, Valdez logged his 10th quality start on Wednesday. The Astros secured the three-game interleague series with a 9-1 win in this performance.

Transform Your Betting Strategy! Join Today for top-notch advice.

With a well-rested bullpen, Houston will have the chance to finish off a series sweep at home on Thursday, which is important as they have a three-game weekend series against the Texas Rangers coming up.

Valdez’s Stellar Performance

After Valdez recorded a season-high 10 strikeouts over seven innings, the Astros needed only one reliever, Kaleb Ort, to cover the final six outs. This situation places Espada in an advantageous position, allowing his high-leverage relievers—Tayler Scott, Bryan Abreu, Ryan Pressly, and closer Josh Hader—to be well-rested for the final four games of the homestand before the first half of the season concludes.

“It feels really good,” Espada said. “And then we get those guys in the back end a breather and get someone like Ort in there, someone we just acquired not that long ago, throwing 98, 99 with 20 inches of vertical (movement). That’s pretty good.”

Upcoming Starts and Injuries

Jake Bloss, a rookie right-handed pitcher with a 4.91 ERA, is set to return from the 15-day injured list and is projected to start in the Astros’ pursuit of a ninth consecutive home win. Bloss entered the major leagues on June 21 when he faced the Baltimore Orioles. He gave up two runs on six hits and a walk with two strikeouts before exiting in the fourth inning because of discomfort in his right shoulder, leading to being placed on the IL.

For the Marlins, rookie right-hander Roddery Munoz (1-3, 5.48 ERA) has the starting assignment. In his most recent outing against the Chicago White Sox last Friday, Munoz allowed two runs on four hits and four walks with two strikeouts over four innings in his first relief appearance this season. He did not factor into the Marlins’ 3-2 loss. Munoz has struggled in his previous six starts, going 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA and allowing 13 home runs across 29 1/3 innings.

Munoz will make his first career appearance against the Astros. He is 0-2 with a 6.43 ERA in three career appearances (two starts) against the American League.

Marlins’ Pitching Challenges

The Marlins have also faced major injuries within their pitching staff. Manager Skip Schumaker had to handle multiple responsibilities and make difficult choices, like keeping a struggling Bryan Hoeing in the game on Wednesday. Hoeing, in only his second start after being on the injured list for 55 games, suffered a loss as the pitcher by surrendering five runs (four of them earned) on eight hits in three innings, while also walking one batter and striking out another, using 62 pitches.

The future role of Hoeing and others remains uncertain as the team navigates through these challenges.

“I think everything’s in play, honestly, with so many injuries that we had early on in the season,” Schumaker said. “… I think credit to Bryan. He’s willing to do whatever we need right now. So if that’s back in the ‘pen, I’m sure he’ll say, ‘great.’ If we say, ‘We’re going to give you another start or two, or three or five,’ whatever it is, I think he’d say, ‘great.’ That’s just kind of the guy Bryan is. I’m just saying that it’s not always fair, unfortunately, because it’s just the reality of where we’re at right now.”

The Astros and Marlins continue to adapt and adjust as they face the challenges of the season, focusing on maximizing the performance of their pitching staffs amidst a backdrop of injuries and changing roles.