Pittsburgh Pirates vs Miami Marlins

Pittsburgh Pirates at Miami Marlins (2026-08-12). Carmen Mlodzinski vs Janson Junk at loanDepot park.

Starters — Mlodzinski carries a 3.51 ERA and 1.36 WHIP across 97.1 innings, with 7.12 K/9, 2.96 BB/9, and 0.74 HR/9. His last three starts were uneven: 3.0 IP, 5 ER, 1 K, 1 BB on August 7; 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 K, 1 BB on August 1; and 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB on July 29. The trend is up, but the most recent outing introduced some volatility. Junk has a 4.63 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 81.2 innings, with 6.83 K/9, 2.53 BB/9, and 1.32 HR/9. His last three starts were 3.0 IP, 2 ER, 1 K, 1 BB on August 6; 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 K, 2 BB on July 31; and 4.2 IP, 1 ER, 6 K, 0 BB on July 26. The trend is down, and his recent form has generally been steadier than his full-season ERA suggests.

Teams — Pittsburgh enters with a .743 OPS, 602 runs scored, a .256 average, and a pitching staff at 4.32 ERA with a 1.32 WHIP. The Pirates have gone 3-7 over their last 10, so the offense has been more productive on the season than the recent record indicates. Miami owns a .730 OPS, 526 runs, and a .250 average, while its staff has posted a 3.93 ERA and 1.24 WHIP. The Marlins are 6-4 in their last 10, and their team pitching profile has been stronger than Pittsburgh’s, especially in run prevention and baserunner control.