The Miami Marlins opened a three-game home series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at loanDepot park, with Jonah Tong scheduled to face Eury Pérez in the opener. The game began at 1:10 p.m. ET and carried extra weight for Miami, which entered the series four games behind the third and final National League wild-card spot.
That is the simple backdrop for a series that could shape both clubs' immediate momentum. The Marlins had dropped two out of three games to the Chicago Cubs over the weekend, leaving them in a fading position in the National League wild-card race. The Mets, meanwhile, arrived having won four of their last six games and were looking to keep pace before a demanding stretch ahead.
Pitching matchups for the three-game set
Monday's opener paired Jonah Tong with Eury Pérez, giving each team a young arm to start the series. Tong had last pitched on June 2 against the Seattle Mariners, when he allowed four runs in 3.1 innings. Earlier in the season, he made his debut in Miami and threw three scoreless, hitless innings, showing the kind of upside that has made him worth watching.
The rotation setup continued Tuesday at 6:40 p.m., when Sean Manaea was scheduled to face Sandy Alcantara. The series then wrapped up Wednesday at 6:40 p.m., with TBD listed for the New York Mets against Janson Junk for the Miami Marlins.
For Miami, the series was about more than one game or one matchup. With the Marlins trying to stay relevant in the wild-card chase, every start matters. For the Mets, the trip was part of a broader run that would send them next to the Los Angeles Dodgers before they headed out West for games against the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres.
That makes the opener a useful snapshot of where both teams stood: the Marlins trying to claw back into contention, and the Mets trying to keep their recent stretch moving in the right direction.
