Opposite dugout: Reeling Marlins feature slugging Stanton, GM-turned-manager Jennings

Manager: Dan Jennings (1st season)

Record: 16-26

Last 10 games: 1-9

Who to watch: RF Giancarlo Stanton (.239/.324/523 with 12 HR, 39 RBIs), SS Adeiny Hechevarria (.297 with 20 RBIs), CF Marcell Ozuna (.276 with 3 HR, 12 RBIs), RHP Dan Haren (4-2, 3.47 ERA), RHP A.J. Ramos (0.90 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 26 Ks in 20 IP)

Season series vs. Orioles: First meeting (2-1 in 2010)

Pitching probables:

May 22: RHP Ubaldo Jimenez vs. RHP Henderson Alvarez, 7:10 p.m., MASN2
May 23: RHP Mike Wright vs. RHP Dan Haren, 7:15 p.m., FOX
May 24: RHP Miguel Gonzalez vs. RHP Tom Koehler, 1:10 p.m., MASN2

Inside the Marlins:

All of the hope and anticipation after a free-spending winter that saw the Marlins allegedly transform themselves into a team that was supposed to contend for the National League East title burned out quicker than a cheap stogie at a South Beach cigar bar. Seven weeks into the season, the Fish are firmly entrenched in last place in the NL East and they've fired manager Mike Redmond, the most recent in a long list of field bosses who couldn't succeed for owner Jeffrey Loria.

In place of Redmond, Loria chose to think outside of the box - think way, waaaaaaay over there - and moved general manager Dan Jennings into the manager's seat. Jennings has never managed in the pros, and has only some high school skippering in Mobile, Ala., on his resume, but that came long before he got into scouting and front office work. But, there he is, having ditched his button-down and tie for a jersey, and he's reportedly going to be in the new role for at least the rest of the 2015 season. If Jennings' name sounds familiar, it's probably because he was mentioned as a candidate for one of the Orioles' pre-Dan Duquette openings to lead the front office. But, the Marlins wouldn't give them permission to talk to Jennings, so the interest went nowhere while Jennings was tied to an eight-year contract as GM in Miami.

Maybe the Marlins were upset that the Brewers snagged former World Series winning-run scorer Craig Counsell before they could offer him the job. Maybe they thought Jack McKeon, who was coaxed out of retirement when Edwin Rodriguez resigned in 2011, was too old at 84. Maybe they couldn't find ubiquitous fan Marlins Man at the Preakness finish line. Whatever the case, Jennings is at the helm and the Marlins are, well, the Marlins. The losing hasn't stopped: Miami has dropped seven straight and 10 of 11. Perhaps interleague play will be the cure for the Fish ills: the Marlins are 163-150 all-time against the American League, just percentage points behind the Mets (163-147) for the best record versus the AL.

With starpower in slugging right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, a speedy table setter in second baseman Dee Gordon and a cast of workmanlike guys up and down their lineup, the Marlins shouldn't be a pushover. Stanton, who signed a record 10-year, $325 million contract in December, isn't lighting the world on fire with a .239 average, but he does lead the Marlins with 12 homers and an NL-high 39 RBIs, no small achievement without a ton of protection in the lineup. Gordon, acquired in an offseason trade with the Dodgers, is slashing .386/.416/.470 through 39 games, with 14 RBIs and 12 stolen bases and leads the majors in batting average and hits (64). But, he has way too many strikeouts for a leadoff guy (22) and too few walks (nine).

Since first baseman (and brief ex-Oriole) Michael Morse is struggling along with two homers and nine RBIs after signing a two-year, $16 million deal in December, Justin Bour has been getting more time at first and producing with a .429/.487/.571 slash line. Slick-fielding shortstop Adeiny Hechevarria's .297 average, 15 multi-hit games and 20 RBIs indicate he's past the point of being merely pesky, and promising left fielder Christian Yelich is slowly coming to life after a stint on the disabled list with a balky back. Center fielder Marcell Ozuna has yet to heat up in his walk year.

The Marlins have already had a taste of interleague play this season - dropping two of three to the in-state rival Rays in early April - while the Orioles lost their first two games against the NL to the Mets earlier this month. The Birds and Fish last met in 2010, when the then-Florida Marlins won two of thee versus Baltimore. The Orioles are only 6-18 all-time against the Marlins.

On Friday night, righty Henderson Alvarez takes the mound for Miami. He spent a month on the disabled list nursing right shoulder inflammation, returning to action on May 17, when he gave up six runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings against Atlanta. All of his three 2015 starts have come at Marlins Park, and from his days with the Blue Jays, Alvarez has some history against the Orioles, posting a 1-2 record, 3.12 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in five starts. Though three starts this season provides a small sample size, left-handed hitters are batting .381 (16-for-42) against Alvarez, and opponents are hitting him at a .311 clip overall. When he lets batters reach, foes have feasted, hitting .379 with runners on and .381 in scoring position. Alvarez has had middling success in interleague play, with a 3-4 record and 4.14 ERA in eight starts. This season, he's relied heavily on a 93 mph fastball, which he's thrown about 67 percent of the time.

Right-hander Dan Haren, who starts Saturday night in a nationally televised game, has significant interleague experience, having posted a 21-10 record and 3.67 ERA in 39 career starts against AL clubs. He's been the Marlins' most reliable starter this season, and is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in four home starts. Not bad for a guy who had to be talked into pitching this year after being traded to Miami by the Dodgers, who got money to cover the $10 million option that vested when Haren reached innings pitched incentives late last season. The veteran succeeds with a lot of guile and the ability to change speeds and hit spots. He throws an 86 mph fastball about 43 percent of the time and an 83 mph slider about 40 percent, and also has a curve and splitter in his repertoire. This season, no one's been hitting him very well - he's got a .231 batting average against and a .186 mark against right-handed hitters. Even when he does allow homers, they don't hurt: Six of the eight longballs he's served up have come with the bases empty. Haren has worked at least six innings in six of his eight starts, and owns a career 5-4 record and 3.87 ERA in 12 starts against the Orioles.

Tom Koehler starts Sunday, and the right-hander has moved between the rotation and bullpen this season (before Redmond was fired, there was even some talk that he might wind up closing games). He moved back into the starting five when pitcher Jarred Cosart went on the DL with a case of vertigo, and worked 6 2/3 innings of five-hit ball without allowing an earned run on May 19 against Arizona, lowering his season ERA to 3.70. Koehler is mostly a fastball/curveball pitcher, the former sitting between 89-95 mph and the latter dropping as low as 75 mph. He's got a career 3-2 record and 5.52 ERA in eight interleague starts, but has never faced the Orioles.

The Marlins, who have a major league-low four saves, have traditionally boasted a pretty decent bullpen, but they recently changed closers, jettisoning Steve Cishek after the right-hander blew four of seven chances and posted an 8.22 ERA and 1.89 WHIP in his first 15 games. Hence, the Marlins have four saves, the fewest in the majors. Right-hander A.J. Ramos is the new ninth-inning guy, and has eight straight scoreless appearances, but his move from setup work leaves a void on a team whose bullpen has logged 136 1/3 innings, second most in the NL this season.