(Photo credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images)

One of the reasons for the Miami Marlins' improved play of late is the defense of third baseman Connor Norby, who is in his first full season in the majors.

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said Norby's 'third-base play has ticked up' over the past month.

'The diving play he made on Tuesday night (in a win over Minnesota) -- I don't know if he makes that play in April or May,' McCullough said. 'He has worked on his pre-pitch (preparation). He gets off the ball better. The ease in which he is handling his chances is a credit to the work he's put in.'

Norby figures to be in the lineup again as the Marlins chase their 10th win in 11 outings on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers.

Miami right-hander Sandy Alcantara will start on Friday as he attempts to rediscover his Cy Young form of 2022.

Alcantara, who is 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA in six career appearances (four starts) against Milwaukee, led the league in '22 in WAR (8.0), complete games (six) and innings (228 2/3). He went 14-9 with a 2.28 ERA.

However, he missed the 2024 season due to elbow surgery and is just 4-8 with a 6.98 ERA in 16 starts this season. Alcantara allowed seven runs in six innings at Arizona on Saturday in a no-decision in his most recent start. The Marlins won 8-7 in 10 innings.

As for Miami's lineup, a big part of it is Norby and left fielder Kyle Stowers, both of whom came to the Marlins from Baltimore in the Trevor Rogers' trade.

The Marlins also have traded for other young starters, including catcher Agustin Ramirez (Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the New York Yankees), second baseman Xavier Edwards (prospects sent to Tampa Bay), and right fielder Jesus Sanchez (Nick Anderson and Trevor Richards sent to the Rays).

Miami claimed shortstop Otto Lopez and outfielder Derek Hill off waivers and picked up catcher Liam Hicks and center fielder Dane Myers in the Rule 5 Draft.

The Brewers, who will start right-hander Quinn Priester (6-2, 3.35 ERA) on Friday, also are a small-market team that is forced to piece things together as opposed to making big free-agent signings.

Still, Milwaukee has made the playoffs in six of the past seven years. That includes winning four National League Central titles, including in 2023 and 2024.

This season, the Brewers are chasing the Chicago Cubs for the top spot in the Central.

The Brewers enter this weekend ranked third in the majors in stolen bases (99). In fact, they have four players with double-figure totals in steals: Brice Turang, Sal Frelick, Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich.

Yelich, 33, could be a 30-30 man this season for the second time in his career. He has a team-high 17 homers to go with 12 steals. In 2019, he had 44 homers and 30 steals.

Chourio, a 21-year-old rising star, had 21 homers and 22 steals as a rookie last year. This season, he has 14 homers and 15 steals.

Indeed, the Brewers are aggressive. In Thursday's 3-2 loss at the New York Mets, Yelich was thrown out trying to steal second base in the ninth inning for a key play in the game.

But, despite that loss, the Brewers are nine games over .500 and have a deep lineup that also includes catcher William Contreras and first baseman Rhys Hoskins.

'Top of the lineup, bottom of the lineup,' left fielder Isaac Collins said. 'Everybody is contributing.'

As for Priester, the 24-year-old ex-Pirates first-round pick is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in his only career start against Miami.

--Field Level Media