Miami Marlins must justify weak 2026 playoff push with strong offseason

[Sean Millerick]

Was there anything the Miami Marlins could have realistically done this summer to make them a contender this October? 

Probably not. 

Not after giving up every inch of ground they gained thanks to that franchise worst twelve-game losing streak. Not after the San Diego Padres remembered they had one of the most talented rosters in baseball. Not after former Marlins manager Don Mattingly reminded the Philadelphia Phillies of the same thing. 

And yet...it's hard to shake the sense that the Marlins could have done more at the trade deadline.

That they left opportunities on the table. In short, that they completely punted on the chance to make the playoffs for the third time in the Bruce Sherman era. Would they have been a long shot to do so? Absolutely. Would it have been a breath of fresh air for the team to make the attempt? You bet. Keeping the band together was enough in 2025. However, this 2026 club flashed more talent while also being in more dire need of a boost. Especially when you factor in how unstoppable Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez were looking at the time and the tantalizing prospect of putting them in a playoff series. Twelve-game losing streak or not, this really seemed like a squad that had earned more faith than the front office demonstrated in it come deadline time. 

Unfortunately, there's also no denying what a mistake it would have been to really push the chips in. This team wasn't ready, and the primary reason for that was lack of depth. When depth is your biggest issue, at least until baseball gets that salary cap, teams like Miami can't go crazy selling off young talent for rental pieces. Plus, once Tariq Skubal went, it's not as if there were a ton of available options worth the price tag. The Marlins weren't even one piece away from a title when they were firing on all cylinders, and were in far worse shape when August arrived. Being responsible made sense, and if we're all being honest with ourselves, it isn't exactly hard to see the wisdom in the uber-frugal approach Miami ultimately took.  

Which is all fine. Pragmatic, savvy, smart stuff from the Marlins front office, which continues to be a breath of fresh air in its own right. On one condition though: 

That that same smart front office do everything they can to build on this foundation in 2027. 

Sign free agents, and good ones. No dealing multiple pieces away from the MLB roster for pieces that might help three years from now. Spend the money on the field that wasn't spent there last winter. Past years have seen the Marlins fill holes by creating new ones, and just betting the ranch on the 90% outcome happening. That has to change. 

For again, the big issue this season was depth. After a few months of covering that up with smoke and mirrors, the Marlins ran out of bodies and gas. Of course, at a couple positions, the tricks never worked at all. Far too much time was given to Christopher Morel and Leo Jimenez to make it work. Far too often when Miami played platoon games and pulled pitchers down the stretch, they did so with players that simply weren't capable of consistently delivering the desired outcome. Those moves are clearly going to be part of how the Marlins operate, and that too is fine, pragmatic, savvy, smart stuff. Yet the talent level of Miami's bench and bullpen must be much higher next time around to make that work, and the easiest way to do that is to inject talent into the MLB roster without needing to take talent away from it. 

Basically, for three offseasons in a row, the Marlins have made it too easy for fans to argue that the team made the big league roster worse during the offseason, not better. That can't happen again, not now that there are real expectations associated with this group.  

Otherwise, the Marlins just wasted a chance for a month of much more meaningful baseball, and all the goodwill and memories that come with that. 

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[Hippyboi]

Pretty much agree.

[One Regend]

The Ryan Weathers trade killed the season before it even started.

I don't care how good the prospects they got were, none of them are throwing 90+ pitches every 5 days and putting up the great production Ryan Weathers had, nor were they close to MLB-ready in 2026. Not to mention Weathers still being here means one of Tyler Phillips/Janson Junk/Ryan Gusto would be in the bullpen and that by itself would be a major improvement.

Was it worth throwing away a postseason berth for a couple of players that maybe might make an impact 3 years from now?

That is all I will say on the matter.

[1993 fan from start]

 

 

Was there anything the Miami Marlins could have realistically done this summer to make them a contender this October? 

Probably not.  I STRONGLY Disagree with that.

yet...it's hard to shake the sense that the Marlins could have done more at the trade deadline. I STRONGLY Disagree with that. 

That they left opportunities on the table. In short, that they completely punted on the chance to make the playoffs for the third time in the Bruce Sherman era. Would they have been a long shot to do so?  yes and Agree . not all playoff teams are going to make it.

 

Unfortunately, there's also no denying what a mistake it would have been to really push the chips in. This team wasn't ready, and the primary reason for that was lack of depth. When depth is your biggest issue  .    yes that true when you are trading mlb players for minor leagures. and one I count was ready.    and you not calling any up worth it.  How did De Los Santos work out being call up more than once?

plus puting bad batting orders up.  not helping aginst LHP pitching.

 

Unfortunately, there's also no denying what a mistake it would have been to really push the chips in. Stronggly Disagree.  This is the pro. And Rays did not get better .And win Divison .. Till started pushing the chips in. . And Fans are returning to that stadium. And we know Loan Depo/Marlins park better. We know fans will show up . Because of WBC and Florida Panthers event.   But agree Marlins can't be a top11 team in spending. till mlb has better Model..

 

[Leo Armbrister]

The Marlins needs to keep Sandy and make a committment to a couple of the young players who are producing like Sanoja, Lopez,and Edwards. We also need a starting pitcher and some right handed batter with power. Our record when facing left handed starting pitching is poor.

[THOMAS JOSEPH]

Why expect any strategic moves until the CBA sets a framework for such planning? I figure there will be no season anyway. No hurry. 

[Rob V]

Trade X-Man for something good that helps us now (3B, SP, 1B) and let Javy Sanoja (our Jose Altuve) man 2B everyday for us going forward. He's shown he has more pop than X, is the better fielder with more range and just has that winning attitude we have seen in Altuve during his long run at the top. We've had too many infielders playing out of position at 3B and 1B and need to trim the fat there going forward. Norby, Jimenez and Morel are now gone due to not hitting a lick while Ex-Yankee Jared Serna (Jazz Trade) looks promising with the bat and glove as a backup for SS and 2B. De la Santos, unless he starts hitting bombs vs MLB Pitching like Bert and Conine, is probably not the answer at 1B for us to compete for the Playoffs in 2027. I would play Conine in RF everyday and drop Caissee to a platoon/back-up role due to his constant poor swing selection and too many K's. He stranded way too many guys at 3rd base with less than 2 outs to be an everyday player and must improve his hitting much like Bert did. Joe Mack is a keeper and a future extension candidate imo as we now know how hard it is to replace a JT Realmuto type of catcher. It took us all the way until now to find a comparable replacement for him after the Phils took us to the cleaners on that one, making injured Sixto Sanchez the centerpiece of what came back to us. Keep Bert, Marsee and Conine in the OF all starting everyday and slide Stowers back to 1B for his bat and backup OF along with Caissee as we all know injuries do happen and things can change quickly. Keep Gus at back-up C/DH and Navarro as back-up catcher/mentor as he's a great guy to have in the clubhouse. Starting Pitching needs some depth and we should have the young prospects returning from injuries and free agent and trade options as well. Our 2025 MVP Relief Pitcher Ronnie Heriquez will be returning from TJ surgery fully rested in 2027. He's better than all of the other relievers we used in 2026 so that's a huge addition for us without a trade. On a side note, Tampa Bay is looking like they're about to do some damage in the Playoffs after finishing in 1st place and hopefully that's where we're headed in the future. 

[1993 fan from start]

One thing im doing is putting Janson Junk in the Bull Pen . At lest get 2.2 inning to 3 inning  .  Witch force the team to find anther Starting Pitcher.