MLB Game Preview - Arizona at Miami

Sat Jul 27, 2019 6:10 PM EDT

Miami Marlins right-hander Jordan Yamamoto and Arizona Diamondbacks lefty Alex Young -- who will face each other on Saturday night -- are two of the more underrated rookies in the National League this year.

Neither player has put up enough numbers to stack up with this year's front-runners for the NL award, including New York Mets first baseman Peter Alonso, San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. and Atlanta Braves teammates Mike Soroka and Austin Riley.

Even so, Yamamoto (4-1, 2.61 ERA) and Young (3-0, 2.38 ERA) have been impressive in limited action so far.

Yamamoto, a 23-year-old Hawaiian, had never pitched above Double-A before making his major league debut on June 12. He pitched a combined total of 14 scoreless innings in his first two major league games, and he was 4-0 this season until the Los Angeles Dodgers beat him his last time out, on July 21.

The host Dodgers pounded Yamamoto for two homers and five runs in just four innings.

"Jordan's going to be all right," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said after the first two MLB homers allowed by Yamamoto. "He's a pretty unique kid with his demeanor and poise."

Yamamoto is now back home at Marlins Park, where he is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in 16 innings.

Young -- just like Yamamoto -- is coming off the first poor start of his major league career. He allowed three hits, three walks, one homer and four runs in just four innings against the Milwaukee Brewers, also on July 21.

Making his major league debut on June 27, Young was immediately effective, going 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA until the Brewers got to him on Tyler Saladino's two-out grand slam in the fourth inning. It was the first career grand slam for Saladino, who entered the game hitting just .102.

"They just stopped swinging at off-speed pitches," Young said that night. "I was falling behind in the counts, and the pitch to Saladino (a 1-0 sinker) was right over the plate."

So far, Young has looked more comfortable on the road, where he is 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in three games, including two starts.

Young has never faced the Marlins, and Yamamoto will take the mound against Arizona for the first time.

Arizona will look to even this weekend series after the Marlins rallied for a 3-2 walk-off win in the ninth inning on Friday night. All three Marlins runs were scored on sacrifice flies, including the game-winner by Harold Ramirez.

"That was very exciting for me," said Ramirez, interviewed on the field after the last-place Marlins had won their third straight game. "I felt a little bit nervous. I'm always looking for the fastball, but (reliever Yoshihisa Hirano) threw me a splitter, and I changed my mind."

Arizona, still alive for a possible wild-card playoff berth, is not playing particularly well at the moment. The Diamondbacks are just 5-7 over their past 12 games.

In addition, the Diamondbacks got just six hits on Friday -- only two of them for extra bases. One of those extra-base knocks came off the bat of pitcher Zack Greinke, who took a tough no-decision.

--Field Level Media