Ascending Phillies open series with Marlins

MIAMI -- The Philadelphia Phillies haven't made the playoffs since 2011. Their yearly attendance has fallen from 3.7 million to 1.9 million. And they hadn't won more than 73 games in any of the past five years.

Into this environment stepped rookie manager Gabe Kapler, a 42-year-old who is used to overcoming adversity. As a player, he built a 12-year major-league career despite being drafted in the 57th round.

So it should come as little surprise that Kapler has overcome a 1-4 start during which his managerial decisions drew tremendous heat and criticism.

On Monday night, when the Phillies visit the Miami Marlins to start a three-game series, Kapler is suddenly at the helm of one of the hottest teams in the majors. The Phillies are 16-11, which means they are 15-7 since that wobbly start.

The Phillies' charge -- slowed a bit by Sunday's 10-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves -- has been led by center fielder Odubel Herrera and left fielder Rhys Hoskins.

Herrera is batting 348 with a .392 on-base percentage and a .920 OPS. Hoskins is batting .346 with a .495 on-base percentage and a 1.098 OPS.

Herrera, 26, has seen his OPS rise by 142 points.

"Odubel has been locked in at the plate all year," Kapler told the Philadelphia Daily News. "I don't think there's been a single pitch where we've looked at him and said, 'I don't think he's into this right now.' No, he's been laser-sharp focused all year."

Monday's pitching matchup will feature veteran right-handers Jake Arrieta for the Phillies and Dan Straily for the Marlins.

After winning the Cy Young award in 2015 and the World Series in 2016 -- both with the Chicago Cubs -- Arrieta (3-0, 1.82 ERA) signed a three-year, $75 million free-agent contract with the Phillies on March 11.

His Phillies debut April 8 -- coincidentally was against the Marlins -- and it did not go well. Arrieta lasted just four innings. He allowed three hits, two walks and three runs (two earned).

Since then, Arrieta has been brilliant, lasting at least 6 2/3 innings in his three subsequent starts. He has allowed a combined three earned runs in those starts.

Straily, meanwhile, will be making his 2018 debut after missing time with a strained forearm. He went 14-8 with a 3.76 ERA for the Cincinnati Reds in 2016 and 10-9 with a 4.26 ERA last year with the Marlins.

He made 64 starts the past two years, showing durability before being sidelined by the forearm issue.

"You always feel good with Dan," Marlins manager Don Mattingly told the media. "We've taken our time with him to make sure he's fully ready."

Straily, however, returns to a team that is vastly different from the one he pitched for last year when Miami's offense was led by 2017 National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton, who hit 59 homers.

The Marlins also traded away left fielder Marcell Ozuna, who hit 37 homers and drove in 124 runs last year; center fielder Christian Yelich, who won a Gold Glove in 2014 and a Silver Slugger award in 2016; and second baseman Dee Gordon, who has won three stolen-base titles as well as a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award and a batting title.

Given those departures, it's no shock the Marlins have a 9-18 record and are in last place in the NL East.

However, after beating the Colorado Rockies 3-0 on Sunday, the Marlins have won two straight series. Before this week, Miami hadn't won any series this season.

In addition, Marlins starting pitchers have a streak of seven straight games in which they have allowed two runs or less.