Marlins are the hot team, for a change, heading into series vs. Astros

The Houston Astros, who are on track for their ninth straight playoff berth, will visit the red-hot Miami Marlins for a three-game series that starts on Monday night.

Houston also is on pace for its eighth American League West title in nine years. However, the Astros will arrive in Miami after getting swept in three games by the host Boston Red Sox.

The Marlins have the opposite profile -- mostly a losing franchise over the past two decades but on a major roll right now.

In fact, the Marlins lost 100 games last year, and they have made the playoffs only twice in the past 21 years.

However, Miami has lost just one of its past 12 series (10-1-1), and the Marlins are 30-14 since June 13. They have won five in a row.

The Marlins have been doing some amazing things of late.

On Sunday, the Marlins completed a three-game sweep over the visiting New York Yankees. It was the first sweep over the Yankees in Marlins history.

Marlins All-Star left fielder Kyle Stowers had two homers and eight RBIs in the three-game series.

In addition, Marlins center fielder Jakob Marsee made his MLB debut this weekend, and he became the first major leaguer since 1901 to record at least four extra-base hits and at least four walks in his first three big-league games.

Marlins fans have noticed. The series against New York drew 101,545 spectators. That's the largest three-game attendance figure for the Marlins since they moved to LoanDepot Park in 2012.

That's impressive because the Marlins had the worst attendance in the National League last year with an average of 13,425.

On the field, the Marlins have reached .500 (55-55) for the first time since April 15 (8-8). At one point, the Marlins were as low as 16 games under .500.

"It's been a steady climb," Marlins rookie manager Clayton McCullough said. "To get to .500 is great. It took a lot of work to get here. Now we have to get ready for Houston."

McCullough, a strong candidate for National League Manager of the Year, will send right-hander Sandy Alcantara (6-9, 6.36 ERA) to the mound on Monday night.

Alcantara won the National League Cy Young Award in 2022 with a 2.28 ERA and a league-high 228 2/3 innings pitched, but he missed last season due to elbow surgery.

After his appearance against the Royals on July 18, Alcantara had the highest ERA in the league (7.14). But in his past two starts -- with his name swirling around trade rumors -- Alcantara has recaptured his old form with just one run allowed (unearned) in 12 innings.

After the trade deadline passed, Alcantara was all smiles. But it remains to be seen how he fares against the Astros, a franchise he has never faced.

Houston will counter with 32-year-old right-hander Jason Alexander (1-1, 7.36). Alexander has made 146 minor league appearances in eight years and just 26 in two years in the majors. He has never faced Miami.

This series will also mark the return of former Marlins right fielder Jesus Sanchez, who was traded to Houston just prior to the deadline. He is 3-for-11 with a double in two games with the Astros.

Another Astros newcomer, of sorts, is third baseman Carlos Correa, who has played two games in his return to Houston after spending his first seven MLB seasons with the Astros and then three-plus in Minnesota. He hit a solo homer on Sunday in Houston's 6-1 loss to Boston.

"We just couldn't get a lot going on the whole series," Astros manager Joe Espada said. "We have to put it behind us quickly and get ready for Miami."

--Field Level Media