Miami, May 5, 2026, 18:22 (EDT)
- After a sweep by the Yankees, Baltimore starts a three-game road set in Miami.
- Sandy Alcantara gets the nod for the Marlins, and sportsbooks have Miami sitting as a slight favorite.
- Chris Paddack was designated for assignment Tuesday, as Miami moved to rework its pitching depth.
The Orioles head to loanDepot park Tuesday night, looking to snap a five-game losing streak as they kick off a three-game set against the Marlins. Miami sends Sandy Alcantara to the mound for Game 1, with first pitch at 6:40 p.m. EDT.
This one stings for Baltimore, a team that’s found itself in a tough spot heading into May. The Orioles, now 15-20 and dealing with rotation injuries, just got swept in four games by the Yankees. Hopes of hanging around in the AL East have taken a hit as they land in South Florida.
Miami hasn’t pulled ahead, either. At 16-19, the Marlins just dropped three out of four against the Phillies. Monday’s 1-0 loss summed it up: Aaron Nola delivered six shutout frames, Bryce Harper provided the game’s lone homer.
This one starts with the pitchers. Baltimore has righty Chris Bassitt, who’s 2-2 and carrying a 5.46 ERA. Miami’s answer: Alcantara, 3-2, 3.04 ERA, 31 strikeouts. That ERA—earned run average—tracks how many earned runs a pitcher gives up over nine innings.
Sportsbooks are tilting toward Miami. The Marlins sat at -138 on the moneyline at Action Network—so $138 down gets you $100 up if they win. Baltimore, on the other side, was posted at +118, with the over/under fixed at 8.5 runs.
Action Network contributor Ryan Minion zeroed in on Tuesday’s game, noting “two starters heading in completely opposite directions.” He’s taking Miami on the first-five innings moneyline—a bet that pays out based on the score after five innings, not the final tally. Action Network
Sports Illustrated Betting senior editor Peter Dewey sided with Miami as well, saying, “Alcantara is clearly the starter to trust in this matchup.” Dewey pointed to Baltimore’s skid and Bassitt’s rough numbers as reasons for backing the Marlins moneyline. SI
Still, Miami’s bullpen has been shaky. Camden Chat points to nine blown leads so far, and closer Pete Fairbanks remains sidelined on the 15-day injured list with nerve irritation. Baltimore needs to hang in, push Miami to pull Alcantara, and see if the late innings open a door.
Prior to the series, the Marlins designated veteran righty Chris Paddack for assignment following a rough start to his stint in Miami. Manager Clayton McCullough mentioned Braxton Garrett and Robby Snelling as possible replacements in the rotation, though the team hadn’t finalized a decision as of Tuesday’s game, according to MLB.com.
The spotlight stays on the mound for the remainder of the series. MLB has Brandon Young lined up to face Eury Pérez on Wednesday, with Cade Povich set to go against Max Meyer Thursday—both games on the schedule for 6:40 p.m. EDT at loanDepot park. Broadcasts remain listed for MASN and Marlins.TV.
