After having played great baseball for a month and a half, the Miami Marlins have reversed course to drop a team record 12 straight games, shifting their record from ten games over .500 to two games under. The turn of events is a surprise to just about everyone following the team, but in my mind does not negate the overall positives of the 2026 season. Even with a 52-54 record, the Marlins have demonstrated the growth of a core group of players who are keys to future success. At the same time, the team is still not out of the race, though the odds have dropped dramatically, which is a shame considering the momentum built.
First, the positives: the middle infield of Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards remains elite, despite Edwards’ recent struggles, his underlying numbers look very solid and projectable. Kyle Stowers could be a fixture at 1B, but also could be a trade chip if Bendix gets the right offer to fortify the future at key positions of need, but it would take a very strong offer. Joe Mack has cemented his position as catcher of the present and the future. LF Heriberto Hernandez has become one of the better hitters in baseball the past couple of months and RF Griffin Conine has played exceptionally well on both offense and defense, earning more playing time against lefties. Javier Sanoja remains a very versatile and valuable utility man. The anchors of the starting rotation, Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez, are not going anywhere.
The negatives: the holes on this team are a lack of production in CF, where Jakob Marsee has struggled ever since putting up great numbers his first month of his career in late 2025. There is also a glaring hole at 3B, which could eventually be filled by upcoming prospect Aiva Arquette or by moving Otto Lopez to 3B when premium SS prospect Starlyn Caba gets the call-up. However this is an area the team will likely want to address sooner with a proven major leaguer. There is also a lack of depth on the bench and too much reliance on pet projects that are not adequate for giving the Marlins more offensive firepower, such as Leo Jimenez, though OF Esteury Ruiz has been a pleasant surprise. Liam Hicks was a great rule V draft pick, but lacks the consistent power and catching skills necessary to make him a versatile and valuable backup, besides being left handed, which the team is too top-heavy with.
There is lack of depth in the starting rotation and the front office has been late in addressing what was apparent early on. The injury to all-star starter Max Meyer has contributed to the crisis here. This needs to be addressed through a combination of trades, free agent signings and the eventual arrival of young pitching depth from the minors, which the Marlins player development system will help with. The bullpen statistically was one of the best, but has had too many implosions and key pitchers are fading. This is not just a Marlins issue but an issue connected with all bullpens: they are erratic and volatile by nature. Here the President of Baseball Operations, Peter Bendix, has proven skillful in remaking the pen on the cheap, something he will need to fortify the way he has in the past. That means selective waiver acquisitions and trades as well as relying on player development to deliver the next batch of quality arms.
What is happening now tends to feed on itself psychologically. This is the area I worry most about with the managerial and coaching leadership. Are they willing to loosen the rigid adherence to platooning players to get their best performers more at bats? And to shake up the lineup so that the hot hands are rewarded? Overall I like the manager and the coaching staff but more of these loses makes it a difficult environment to justify staying the course with the same leadership. Hopefully the team turns it around, especially since a big part of the problem is a collective offensive slump, exacerbated no doubt by trying too hard to do too much, which then makes it worse.
The good news is there continues to be strong player development is the minors, led by the emergence of the best prospect the Marlins have had in a while: CF Cam Cannarella, whose offensive numbers have skyrocketed this season after being drafted in 2025. Likewise, SS prospect Starlyn Caba, already stellar defensively, has seen significant growth in offensive production this year. Those are two players who could be strong fixtures of future Marlins major league rosters. First round draft pick from 2025, Aiva Arquette, could move fast toward the majors, given his progress so far, and could eventually slot in at either SS or 3B, depending on the mix of talent on future Marlins big league rosters. However his progress has been stalled by several minor injuries that have periodically landed him on the injured list.
But this slump remains tough to take for the timing, with fans having clearly renewed interest in going in larger numbers to the games. Laura Leigh and I celebrated our final year in Miami and our 33rd wedding anniversary by inviting a group of 18 friends to share a luxury box with us on July 10. We had a great time, even with the loss to Cleveland. The problem is the Marlins have not won a game since!
Owner Bruce Sherman brought in Peter Bendix to lead the team, which remains a great choice. The turnaround from the pre-Bendix era has been overwhelmingly positive and the owner is fully committed to the new leadership. That has not changed. The Fish are in fact “for real” despite the losing streak. The future is bright. Let’s turn it around soon. Go Fish!
View From Left Field 