The not-quite-second-half of the MLB schedule resumes today. The 47-50 Royals head to Florida to face the 44-51 Miami Marlins tonight in a three-game weekend series. The Marlins are in a surprising third place in the NL East, ahead of the Braves and Nationals. However, ever the small-market farm club, many of their players are the subjects of trade rumors this time of year (including some potential outfielders for the Royals - Dane Myers and Jesús Sánchez I think...probably not Kyle Stowers at this point).
We’ll get a good up close look at these dudes over the weekend.
The Royals will start Seth Lugo, who has done a good job of limiting damaging contact on the way to a 2.67 ERA on top of his 4.28 FIP. However, the last few of Lugo’s starts have felt more like the Lugo of last year, where he’s keeping hitters off-balance with his kitchen sink of pitches and getting good strikeouts as a result. Anytime he’s on the mound, the Royals have a good chance of winning.
The Marlins will start Sandy Alcantara, who after missing 2024 has not had a good return in 2025. He’s got a 7.22 ERA (!) on top of a 4.59 FIP. Strikeouts are down, walks are up, homers are up...everything you don’t want as a pitcher. A glance at his game log doesn’t seem to reveal any trends. He’s just been bad the whole season.
With these two guys pitching, it feels like as favorable a matchup as any for the Royals to start the not-quite-second-half on the best foot possible.
The game starts at 6:10pm US Central time at loanDepot park in Miami. You can watch on FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City or listen on the Royals Radio Network.
Lineups (the recently-acquired Adam Frazier will not get a start tonight)
Back to it!
— Kansas City Royals (@royals.com) 2025-07-18T18:16:24.096Z
Ready, set, second half.
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) July 18, 2025
: @PNCBank
: @FanDuelSN_FL , @CBS4Sports
: @MarlinsRadio , @FoxSports940
⏰: 7:10 PM ET
️: Roof status: CLOSED#Marlinsbeisbol // https://t.co/ZrOdIbYDTI pic.twitter.com/okBvLJbD4l
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- TWitM: Carson Roccaforte is rockin’ the bat
- The 2025 All-Star Game open thread
- Kris Bubic’s transformation into an All-Star
- Royals double down on prep position players, draft Josh Hammond at 28th overall
