Braves face NL-worst Marlins with wild card in reach

The Atlanta Braves, who are trailing in the wild-card playoff race, are looking to sweep the host Miami Marlins this weekend.

Miami (56-97) has the worst record in the National League. Atlanta (83-70) has been pretty solid against the Marlins this season with a 7-3 record.

The scheduled starters for Friday's series opener are a study in contrasts. Atlanta will give the ball to veteran right-hander Charlie Morton, and Miami will go with rookie Valente Bellozo.

Morton (8-8), who turns 41 in November, is consistent. He has a 4.01 ERA this season - close to his 4.00 career ERA over 17 major-league seasons.

Bellozo (2-4, 3.70 ERA) was pitching in rookie ball/Class A as recently as 2022.

The Marlins are 5-6 when Bellozo starts.

Bellozo, 24, has experience against the Braves. On Aug. 2, Bellozo held the Braves to two runs in five innings and left with a no-decision. Atlanta went on to win that game, 5-3.

Conversely, the Braves are just 13-15 when pitching Morton. In fact, the Braves have lost their two most recent games with Morton on the mound.

Morton is 1-0 with a 4.63 ERA in two starts against the Marlins. On April 14, Morton faced the Marlins and allowed six runs in 5 2/3 innings. He escaped with a no-decision in a 9-7 Braves win.

However, on Aug. 1, Morton beat the Marlins, allowing one run, which was unearned, in six innings of a 4-2 victory.

For his career, Morton is 14-6 with a 3.98 ERA in 26 starts vs. Miami.

Also, September has been Morton's best month this year as he has a 2.04 ERA in three starts.

The Braves will enter Friday on a two-game winning streak, having outscored the Reds 22-4 during that span.

Offensively, the Braves are led by designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, a former Marlins outfielder.

Ozuna, who turns 34 in November, had seemed to be finished as a star in 2021 and 2022 as he had an OPS below .690 in each of those seasons.

However, he had 40 homers, 100 RBIs and a .905 OPS last year and has followed that up this year with 38 homers, 101 RBIs and a .940 OPS.

"This has been an amazing and special year for me," Ozuna said. "I have the confidence."

Even so, Ozuna has cooled off this month, with just one homer and two RBIs. He had 10 homers and 17 RBIs in July and six homers and 14 RBIs in August.

The Braves are expected to get star second baseman Ozzie Albies back from a broken wrist. He made his first rehab start on Tuesday.

The Marlins are coming off a series in which they lost two of three games against the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Marlins, who have been out of contention for months, are trying out a lot of young players. Jonah Bride, a first baseman/DH, has a .749 OPS this season.

Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said he loves the "compete factor" with Bride.

"He's not going to swing outside the strike zone," Schumaker said. "He's going to impact the baseball."