​The Milwaukee Brewers will kick off the second half of the 2026 MLB season by hosting the Miami Marlins on Friday to begin a three-game set.The Brewers’ matchup with Miami also begins a three-series, nine-game home stand. Here is what you need to know heading into Friday’s game:AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAfter getting swept by the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Brewers did not enter the All-Star break on a high note. However, at 59-37, they are still the second-best team in baseball and are just 1.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record.On Friday, Milwaukee will have the opportunity to capture its 60th win and build upon its comfortable lead in the National League Central Division, which currently stands at five games.Heading into the 2026 campaign, the outlook was not great for the Marlins.Miami hadn’t had a winning record since 2023, and there was no reason to believe it would be in the hunt for a playoff spot. But so far, the Marlins have been able to prove the doubters wrong.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMiami possesses a 52-45 record heading into the series against the Brewers, which places it in third place in the NL Wild Card hunt. The Marlins certainly have their hands full with Milwaukee, but putting together a winning series can make for a strong start to the second half while inching them closer to their goals of playing in October.As Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski continues to recover from arm fatigue and Kyle Harrison works his way back from right forearm tightness, the Brewers are turning to right-hander Logan Henderson, who will take the mound on Friday.Henderson recently returned from a stint on the Injured List due to a low back strain that kept him out of the rotation throughout June, and he provided 5.1 innings of work and four strikeouts in a win over the St. Louis Cardinals in his first game back on July 9.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHenderson’s winning decision on July 9 was his third-straight, and it pushed him to a 3-1 record this season. Through six starts, Henderson also carries a 3.18 ERA through 28.1 innings of work.Conversely, the Marlins will have right-hander Sandy Alcantara take the mound.Alcantara has been instrumental for Miami this season. Through 20 starts, the 30-year-old has a 10-5 record with a 3.99 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in 130.2 innings of work.Henderson and other Brewers pitchers who take the mound against the Marlins will have to be cautious with how they pitch to Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThrough the first half of the season, Lopez became baseball’s leader in hits (127) and batting average (.334). Milwaukee’s pitching staff must ensure it does not allow anything easy for Lopez to attack.Meanwhile, Edwards is fifth in hits (107) and sixth in batting average (.303). Both he and Lopez are the dominant threats in Miami’s offense, and their bats must be treated with caution.Don’t miss out on our ROUNDTABLE commun