The Miami Marlins return to loanDepot Park for the final game of their three-game set against the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers, desperately seeking to salvage a win and snap a cold stretch that has dropped them to 13–20 and near the bottom of the National League East standings. This season has been riddled with inconsistency for the Marlins, and the same storyline has followed them through this series as they’ve struggled to match the Dodgers’ firepower on either side of the ball. Offensively, Miami has leaned heavily on the contributions of Kyle Stowers, who’s batting an impressive .321, and Matt Mervis, whose seven home runs lead the club, but beyond those two, run production has been inconsistent, leading to their average of just 4.5 runs per game. The Marlins will send Valente Bellozo to the mound, hoping the young right-hander can deliver a breakthrough performance after posting an 0–2 record with a 4.97 ERA through his early big-league starts; while Bellozo has shown flashes of potential, facing this stacked Dodgers lineup is a massive test, especially for a pitcher still finding his footing. Miami’s pitching staff as a whole has labored mightily, owning a team ERA of 5.78 and ranking among the league’s worst in opponent batting average at .272—numbers that have led to repeated early deficits and an overworked bullpen that has rarely been able to bail them out late. Defensively, the Marlins haven’t offered much reprieve either, with fundamental lapses contributing to extended innings and compounding the pressure on a young, uneven rotation.

Their recent betting performance reflects these struggles, with a 1–6 record against the spread over their last seven games, and history doesn’t favor them either—Miami has failed to cover the run line in 8 of their last 10 matchups with the Dodgers. To have a fighting chance in the finale, the Marlins will need Bellozo to pitch efficiently, limit baserunners, and avoid giving up crooked numbers early, while the offense must find a way to scratch out runs against Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who enters with a pristine 0.90 ERA and has overwhelmed nearly every lineup he’s faced. Players like Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Bryan De La Cruz will need to step up and find ways to get on base, apply pressure, and generate momentum early, as playing from behind against the Dodgers has proven to be a death sentence for most opponents this season. The Marlins also need a cleaner game defensively, avoiding the types of errors that lead to extra outs and big innings—something that has plagued them throughout this homestand. While expectations are low given the strength of the opponent, this game offers an opportunity for the Marlins to test their grit, regroup, and potentially build confidence with a strong all-around performance against one of the league’s best, a much-needed spark as they prepare to turn the page and begin a fresh series.