The Miami Marlins host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at loanDepot park for a 1:10 PM ET afternoon game. Tyler Phillips takes the ball for Miami opposite Pittsburgh's Braxton Ashcraft in a matchup of two pitchers with something to prove. For a Marlins roster built around youth and development, every start this deep into the season carries real weight — this is not a throwaway Thursday afternoon game. It's another chance to sharpen the roster and build momentum heading into a stretch that matters.

Pitching Matchup: Tyler Phillips vs. Braxton Ashcraft

Tyler Phillips gets the start for Miami. The right-hander has been part of a rotation the Marlins are counting on to carry innings and compete, and Thursday's outing is another opportunity for him to demonstrate he belongs at the top of the conversation. Specific season stats are not yet confirmed, but his presence in the rotation at this stage of the year speaks to the organization's confidence in him.

Pittsburgh counters with Braxton Ashcraft, a young arm the Pirates have been developing. Like Phillips, Ashcraft is at a stage in his career where each outing matters for his own trajectory. Neither team is sending a seasoned veteran to the mound, which makes the game-planning and execution all the more interesting.

Miami Marlins Starting Lineup

• 1. Jakob Marsee — CF
• 2. Xavier Edwards — 2B
• 3. Otto Lopez — SS
• 4. Griffin Conine — DH
• 5. Agustín Ramírez — C
• 6. Leo Jiménez — 1B
• 7. Owen Caissie — RF
• 8. Javier Sanoja — 3B
• 9. Esteury Ruiz — LF

Keys to Watch at loanDepot park

Jakob Marsee Sets the Table

Marsee leads off and plays center field. His job is simple: get on base and make something happen early. If he can put pressure on Ashcraft in the first couple of innings, the middle of the order gets better at-bats.

Xavier Edwards in the Two-Hole

Edwards at second base hitting second is a setup the Marlins lean on. His ability to make contact and work counts fits perfectly behind a table-setter like Marsee. Watch how he handles Ashcraft's fastball command early.

Griffin Conine Drives the Bus

Conine slots in as the cleanup DH, and he's the power piece in this lineup. If Lopez can get on base in front of him, Conine has the chance to do real damage. Pittsburgh's pitching staff will have to respect that bat.

Esteury Ruiz Hitting Ninth

Ruiz batting ninth adds a wrinkle — his speed at the bottom of the lineup gives Miami a second dynamic option cycling back to the top. It's a lineup construction the Marlins have used to their advantage, and it puts pressure on opposing pitchers in both directions.

Prediction

This game comes down to how long Phillips can keep Pittsburgh off the board and whether Miami's lineup can do enough damage early against Ashcraft. The Marlins have the lineup depth to generate runs, and pitching at home at loanDepot park with a crowd behind them is a genuine advantage. Miami takes this one, 4-2.

Catch all the action on Marlins.TV presented by Werner, Hoffman, Greig and Garcia, or tune in on 560AM WQAM. Spanish-language coverage is available on WAQI 710.