Marlins @ Padres

Who will WIN this matchup?

Miami Marlins (47-65)

@ San Diego Padres (64-49)

Starting Pitchers:

Thompson (MIA): 2-4; 2.53 ERA

Musgrove (SD) 7-7; 2.87 ERA

Current odds:

Miami Marlins: (+220)

San Diego Padres: (-250)

• A four-game series at Miami in late July offered a perfect example of how things have gone for the San Diego Padres since the All-Star break. The Padres beat the Marlins the first two games, then lost the next two High hopes early in the series that the Padres could grab a little momentum at the expense of the last-place team in the National League East dissolved into the win/lose morass that has plagued the Padres since the beginning of July. Another opportunity is knocking the next three days as the Marlins visit San Diego. The big question: Can the Padres take advantage of it?

• Some positive signs did appear over the weekend. For the first time this season, Padres starters went seven innings in back-to-back games Saturday and Sunday, leading to consecutive wins against the Arizona Diamondbacks. And for the first time in Padres’ history, starting pitchers had back-to-back games with at least 12 strikeouts. Yu Darvish fanned 12 in seven innings Saturday before Blake Snell whiffed 13 in seven innings Sunday.

• Now it’s up to San Diego right-hander Joe Musgrove (7-7, 2.87 ERA) to keep the streak going Monday night. He will be matched up with Marlins right-hander Zach Thompson (2-4, 2.53 ERA).

• Actually, this is a rematch. Musgrove and Thompson were paired July 23 in Miami in a game the Padres won 5-2. Musgrove allowed two runs on six hits and a walk with four strikeouts in six innings to earn the win. Thompson gave up three runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts in five innings while taking the loss.

• Padres manager Jayce Tingler made it clear that his club needs another strong and long outing from Musgrove on Monday. “We don’t know what we’re doing for a starting pitcher Tuesday night,” Tingler said. That is right-hander Chris Paddack’s spot on the big-picture schedule, but Paddack is not ready to return from the injured list as he is still nursing an oblique strain. Tuesday night could become a bullpen game, and the Wednesday afternoon start will fall to Ryan Weathers. The rookie left-hander has given up 14 runs on 15 hits and four walks with just three strikeouts over a total of seven innings in his past two starts. Add it up, and the pressure on Musgrove to go deeper into Monday’s game is amplified.

• Over his last three starts, beginning with the outing at Miami, Musgrove has given up three runs on 11 hits and five walks with 20 strikeouts in 19 innings for a 1.42 ERA and a 0.842 WHIP. He is 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in two career starts against the Marlins.

• Thompson, a 6-foot-7, 27-year-old rookie, will be making the 10th start of his major league career Monday, his second against the Padres. He has a 1.102 WHIP and a .196 opponents’ batting average. In his past three starts — beginning with his appearance against the Padres — Thompson is 0-2 with a 3.68 ERA and a 1.295 WHIP.