The Miami Marlins, with the second-lowest payroll in baseball, entered the All-Star break in playoff position, occupying the final wildcard spot in the National League.
Though they had a big finish last season, “The Fish” missed the playoffs. Few thought their young talent was ready to blossom into a playoff team. And nobody expected shortstop Otto Lopez and former first-round pick, pitcher, Max Meyer to emerge as 2026 All-Stars.
The Marlins record stands at 52-45 – seven games over .500 boosted by a record-setting June in which they weaved a 20-6 record.
The 52 wins is the second-most in Marlins history entering the break. They are 28-19 against teams with a winning record. Since June 1, the Marlins are 26-11, which is the most wins in baseball over that span.
“You got to say I’m pleasantly surprised,” MLB Network stalwart Harold Reynolds told the Palm Beach Post from the Philadelphia Convention Center during All-Star festivities. “They collected a tremendous amount of young talent. You have to give credit where credit is due. They’ve done a tremendous job of putting themselves in position to be competitive. It is really something special.”
Reynolds, who has been at MLB Network since its inception in 2009 and is covering his 17th ASG, thinks the Marlins and their juiced offense will be at the playoff doorstep the rest of the way despite their bad start.
“The younger players with their age and youth can go a little longer than some other teams,” Reynolds said. “I don’t think they’ve scratched the surface on what they’re capable of. I see them in the race the whole way. And look out if they get in the playoffs because they are a dangerous team.”
As manager Clayton McCullough said of their playoff position, “We would’ve certainly signed up for it. We did play to a level that put ourselves in a good spot this many games in.
On June 7, the Marlins were 31-35 and14 games back of the Atlanta Braves in the NL East. Now they are four games behind when the Marlins resume play Friday in Milwaukee.
Here’s five reasons for the Marlins ascendancy under president Peter Bendix:
SAY IT’S SO OTTO
Two years ago, the Marlins picked up shortstop Otto Lopez on waivers after his release from San Francisco. The defensive middle infielder now is hitting with panache and has made his first All-Star Team. He was hearing “MVP” changes from the crowds at LoanDepot Park that is sure to increase after the break and World Cup.
“It makes me feel super good,” Lopez told reporters of the recent chanting. “Because they motivate me to just keep going.”
Lopez wielded a major league-leading .334 batting average, even after going 0 for 12 in the final series vs. Cleveland.
He also leads the MLB in hits (127) and doubles (26) and has whacked 9 home runs.
“The thing I like about Otto is putting together that batting average,” Reynolds said. “It shows when you get a chance to play and make adjustments, you can hit an upside way more than people think. That’s what Otto has done. He’s been incredible. He’s added power and it will continue. For us to be talking about his offense and not his defense, shows how far this guy has come.”
Defensively, there’s few better than the double-play combination of Lopez and second baseman Xavier Edwards.
Mad Max Meyer Maxes Out
Former Marlins president Derek Jeter can finally take a bow. His 2020 first-rounder (third overall) has finally done great.
Meyer is 9-1 with a 2.58 ERA. He was the last qualifying unbeaten starting pitcher before losing his first game July 1 in Colorado. Meyer has emerged in his first full-time chance of his career.
“It was what everybody said when Jeter’s crew drafted him,’’ Reynolds said. “They were thinking he’d be a No. 1. He hadn’t clicked but this year he’s put it all together. His stuff has always been electric. He knows what to do with it and figured it all out. I think this is him for a number of years to come now. It’s not a one-year fluke. It’s the real deal.”
The bad news is McCullough won’t let him pitch in the All-Star Game and also rested him Sunday in his expected last start. That’s how key his arm is now.
“He can go enjoy all the festivities in Philadelphia and be a fan in the dugout, and then just to give him a little breather as we continue to push him through his first real full season in the big leagues,” McCullough told reporters.
SANDY IS DANDY AGAIN
Former ace Sandy Alcantara emerged from Tommy John surgery last season and pitched respectably after a slow start. Still, nobody knew how long he and his big contract would last here, considering the Marlins’ history of shedding.
Now Alcantara is a mainstay at the top end of the staff and isn’t going anywhere after pitching to a 10-5 record.
“I’m a little surprised Sandy is still there,” Reynolds said. “I thought he’d be a piece they’d try to move along. He’s back to being Sandy – healthy, logging innings. He’s back to being the guy they expect. The reason I’m saying I thought he’d be traded is I didn’t think the team would be in the position they’re in. Now they’re in position to add instead of subtract to the team.”
CAISSIE COMETH FROM CHICAGO
The Marlins have four players with at least 40 RBI, including rookie outfielder Owen Caissie. He showed glimpses at the World Baseball Classic playing for surging Canada and seized a starting role despite missing some of spring training in Jupiter.
Caissie was the key prospect picked up in the offseason from the Edward Cabrera trade. During spring training, Caissie told The Post, “I remember watching their games in the second half and they were winning and scoring more runs. They’re headed in a really good direction. It’s exciting. Like a new flower is blossoming.”
Caissie was put on the injured list with a calf strain in the days leading into the break but could be back by Friday.
Though he’s still striking out at a higher clip than he’d like, Caissie, in 80 games, has been clutch with 12 homers, 50 RBIS and on-base percentage of .297 in his first Miami season.
BENDIX BUILDING
Poor Peter Bendix, always having to defend Marlins president Bruce Sherman’s ways of cost-cutting and trading away big salaries since becoming president of baseball operations after the 2023 season.
That stops with the trade deadline approaching Aug. 3 and Bendix reportedly bent on keeping Alcantana and adding a couple of pieces. Reportedly he’d like to add a third baseman, a fifth starter and maybe add to the bullpen.
Bendix has done this winning keeping the payroll at $81M. His subtle moves have gotten the Marlins to improve from 62 wins in 2024 to 79 last season. Now they are on pace to get close to 90 wins.
Besides adding Caissie, Bendiz made a low-key offseason move in signing first baseman Kyle Stowers and 2024 Rule 5 draft pick Liam Hicks has emerged behind the plate. Bendix held onto Alcantara last season after his slow start when he could’ve been unloaded him when the market was low.
Bendiz has also transformed the Jupiter spring-training facility at Roger Dean Stadium from antiquated to state of the art last year.
“They’ve had to gain the trust back from the community that they’re going to put a team on the field,” Reynolds said. “This is a regime that might be stabilizing it and might be around for a time here. Those two things are very important.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: 5 reasons the Miami Marlins are in playoff position at All-Star break
Reporting by Marc Berman, Special to The Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Marc Berman, Special to The Post | USA TODAY Network
