Bruce Sherman is heading toward his ninth year as the Marlins’ control person, and the picture around the franchise is a mixed one. Miami has reached the postseason twice in that stretch, in 2020 and 2023, and it comes out of the All-Star break sitting in the National League’s third wild-card spot. At the same time, the broader body of work still leaves the Marlins near the bottom of the league, with a 27th-place ranking in overall winning percentage ahead of only the Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals and Colorado Rockies.
The financial side of the story has been just as stark. The Marlins’ projected payroll is $75 million this season, which is the lowest in MLB, according to Roster Resource.
Payroll has also come down under Sherman’s ownership, especially once inflation is taken into account. Even so, Sherman says the franchise remains in strong financial shape.
That confidence is tied to the price tag of the team itself. Sherman’s ownership group paid $1.2 billion for the Marlins in 2017, and a more recent deal involving new minority owners was reportedly built around a $1.55 billion valuation.
Sherman also pointed to the organization’s spending in technology and player development as part of the reason for the team’s improved results since last summer. In his view, those investments have helped fuel the uptick in winning while the club continues to operate with MLB’s smallest payroll.
During his appearance on Fish Unfiltered with Isaac Azout and Kevin Barral, Sherman also discussed the Marlins’ 2026 performance on the field, his trust in Peter Bendix, his admiration for Sandy Alcantara and what he wants to say to fans who still aren’t sold on the idea that Miami can contend the way it does.
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Marlins Face Franchise Defining Sandy Alcantara Call In Playoff Race
The Marlins have spent enough of the summer in the thick of the NL East race to make every roster decision feel a little heavier than usual, and Sandy Alcantara sits at the center of that. The right-hander, a former Cy Young Award winner, has given Miami a stable presence in the rotation while making 20 starts and posting a 3.99 ERA, a reminder that he has been both available and effective as the club keeps itself in the Wild Card picture.
For a team trying to turn a surprising run into something more lasting, Alcantara is more than just another name on the board. If Miami stays in the hunt, the front office will have to weigh how much it values the present against the future, especially with postseason pitching needs starting to come into focus and the market for help likely to shape the next move. [Read more 🡒]