Miami Marlins vs Houston Astros

Miami Marlins at Houston Astros (2026-07-21). Tyler Phillips vs Tatsuya Imai at Daikin Park.

Starters — Tyler Phillips has a 3.48 ERA and 1.39 WHIP across 75 innings, with 6.72 K/9, 4.2 BB/9, and 0.96 HR/9. His last three starts were uneven: 1.0 inning and 2 earned runs on July 12, 5.0 scoreless innings on July 8, and 3.1 innings with 5 earned runs on July 3. The trend is listed up, but the recent game log still shows volatility and a walk rate that can create traffic. Tatsuya Imai has a 6.06 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 52 innings, paired with a strong 10.9 K/9 but a high 5.71 BB/9 and 1.56 HR/9. His last three starts were 3.2 innings and 2 earned runs on July 7, 1.1 innings and 5 earned runs on July 1, and 6.0 scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts on June 25. The trend is down, which fits the inconsistency: swing-and-miss stuff is evident, but command and home run prevention remain major risk points.

Teams — Miami enters with a .736 OPS, 452 runs scored, a .252 team average, and a pitching staff carrying a 4.05 ERA with a 1.25 WHIP. The Marlins are 3-7 in their last 10, so the broader offensive profile is more stable than the recent results. Houston has a .726 OPS, 463 runs scored, a .241 team average, and a 4.75 team ERA with a 1.40 WHIP. The Astros are also 3-7 in their last 10. Houston has scored slightly more runs overall, but Miami owns the better season-long team pitching indicators, especially in WHIP.