Categories: Gameday

Franco returns to the lineup, Nola starts in Miami rubber match

Maikel Franco will return to the lineup for the first time since being demoted to Triple-A. (Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire)

After Tuesday night’s heroic performance against one of the best hitting teams in baseball, it was reported by multiple outlets that for the remainder of the regular season, the team expects to start ace Aaron Nola every five days. Today’s matinee rubber match is the first of those starts. Nola would have pitched in tomorrow’s game against the Pirates if the Phillies opted to use him as they normally would.

Maikel Franco also makes his return to the starting lineup for the first time since August 3. In a surprising move by the Phillies, the 26-year-old was sent-down to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on August 4 to make room on the roster for Corey Dickerson. Franco has two hits and one RBI in four plate appearances since returning to the big club on Friday. A good performance at the plate in today’s game could convince Kapler and the front office to keep Franco up for next week’s six game home stand as opposed to sending him down again and calling him up once rosters expand. Sunday’s game is the last in which Harper can stay on the paternity leave list as the list only permits a player to miss a minimum of one game and a maximum of three.

Here’s everything you need to know for today’s matinee matchup against the Marlins…

Marlins Lineup

Jon Berti, short stop
Starlin Castro, third base
Garrett Cooper, first base
Harold Ramirez, right field
Isan Díaz, second base
Austin Dean, left field
Lewis Brinson, center field
Bryan Holaday, catcher
Elieser Hernandez, pitcher

Phillies Lineup

César Hernández, second base
Rhys Hoskins, first base
J.T. Realmuto, catcher
Corey Dickerson, left field
Jean Segura, short stop
Scott Kingery, center field
Adam Haseley, right field
Maikel Franco, third base
Aaron Nola, pitcher

Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Matchup

Aaron Nola (12-3, 3.51 ERA, 4.06 FIP, 3.82 xFIP) vs. Elieser Hernandez (2-5, 5.18 ERA, 6.27 ERA, 5.28 xFIP)
Nola has been great in his first two starts of the year against the Marlins. In 14.2 innings, he has a 1.23 ERA and 3.01 FIP. In his career at Marlins Park, Nola is 2-3 with a 3.82 ERA.
Hernandez is 2-0 with a 4.38 ERA in his career against the Phillies. He earned a victory for the Fish back in June at Citizens Bank Park, going five and two thirds innings, striking out seven and allowing two earned runs.

Pregame Phillies Nuggets

Jorge Alfaro is scorching hot against his former club this season. In addition to going 3 for 4 on Saturday night with a home run, Alfaro is batting .462 with a double, three home runs and five runs batted in against the Phillies. Luckily for the Phillies, they will not have to worry about seeing Alfaro at the plate until the last series of the season in Philadelphia as he has the day off today.

Rhys Hoskins may be walking his way out of a lengthy slump. He has walked five times so far this series and has scored four runs. In the month of August, he has walked more than he has struck out (22 vs. 19). He probably would like to get a big hit in this game just so he can say he has made good use of a bat in which his dog Rookie is on the barrel:

Nola day is now a scheduled affair. Here are all of the ace’s eight remaining scheduled starts this season. The Phillies hope that they would not need him to pitch the last game of the season as the plan is to already have a Wild Card spot wrapped up: