New York @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 26, 2016 ) NY Mets 3, Miami 7

With the number of injuries that have ravaged the pitching staff of the New York Mets, Noah Syndergaard's recent bout with strep throat amounted to a sigh of relief. Syndergaard will have three extra days of rest as a result of the illness when he takes the mound in the continuation of a three-game series against the host Miami Marlins on Tuesday night.

The series opener was played in a highly charged emotional atmosphere as the Marlins honored the memory of Jose Fernandez, their ace pitcher who was tragically killed in a boating accident Sunday. Dee Gordon led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run as part of a four-hit night and teared up rounding the bases as Miami jumped out to a seven-run lead after three innings and pounded out 14 hits in the Marlins' 7-3 victory. Afterward, Miami's players -- all wearing the uniform No. 16 -- formed a circle around the pitching mound before leaving their caps there as a tribute to Fernandez. New York holds a half-game lead over San Francisco for the top wild card while the Marlins are four games back of the Giants with six to play.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FSN Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (13-9, 2.63 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Tom Koehler (9-12, 4.02)

Syndergaard has had plenty of rest since one of his worst outings of the season, when he lasted only 3 2/3 innings and was knocked around for five runs on eight hits in a loss to Atlanta. The 24-year-old pitched at least seven innings in four of his previous five starts while yielding a total of four runs in that span. He is 1-0 in two starts against the Marlins this season, striking out 21 and allowing three runs in 14 innings.

Koehler has been stuck on nine victories since Aug. 9, watching his winless drought reach eight starts when he permitted four runs (three earned) on only two hits over four innings in a loss to Washington. Koehler has surrendered half of his 20 home runs during the eight-start dry spell, including a pair in a 10-5 loss at the Mets on Aug. 30. Jose Reyes is 5-for-7 and Asdrubal Cabrera 5-for-10 against Koehler, who is 2-7 versus New York.

WALK-OFFS

1. Marlins 1B Justin Bour was 3-for-3 with a double and triple Monday after going 0-for-17 in his previous five games.

2. Cabrera is 12-for-27 with three homers and 12 RBIs in his last seven games.

3. Marlins RF Giancarlo Stanton is 5-for-25 since returning from a groin injury.

PREDICTION: Marlins 5, Mets 3