The Miami Marlins are putting together a run that should be impossible to ignore.
Over the last month, they’ve played like one of baseball’s best teams, and they’re doing it with the smallest payroll in the majors. That combination alone makes their surge stand out. Add in the fact that they’re tied with the Philadelphia Phillies for a pair of wild-card spots, and you’ve got a club that’s forcing its way into the National League conversation whether anyone wants to notice or not.
Miami enters Saturday three games behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East. That means the Marlins are not just hanging around the postseason picture - they’re right there with a team that has repeatedly been treated as one of the sport’s elite.
The recent results back it up. Miami has won six straight and has only two losses in its last 10. Over the last 30 days, that stretch has been good enough to put the Marlins among the top teams in baseball:
Best Records in #MLB Last 30 days:Miami Marlins 19-8Chicago Cubs 18-8Los Ángeles Dodgers 18-9Milwaukee Brewers 18-9Boston Red Sox 17-9Detroit Tigers 16-10
The offense has been a big part of the push. The Marlins have shown more power and a better ability to drive in runs, and there are now four players on the roster with at least 40 RBI. Rookie sensation Owen Caissie is one of them.
Otto Lopez has been the standout in the middle of it all. He’s in the middle of a breakout season, carrying a .341/.374/.516 slash line with an OPS nearing 900. He’s also produced 45 RBI and nine long shots, giving Miami another dangerous bat in a lineup that has been productive from top to bottom.
A month ago, the Marlins had only six total losses and had already swept three opponents. They’ve kept that momentum rolling into July, opening the month by sweeping twice in the first week.
For now, the recognition still hasn’t matched the results. But Miami doesn’t need the noise to keep moving. The only thing that matters is staying hot and getting back to October for the first time since 2023.
In Other News...
Sandy Alcantara Did His Part And Marlins Fans Know The Rest
Sandy Alcantara gave the Marlins exactly what they needed again, even if the result did not match the effort. In Miamis 3-2 loss to the Guardians at loanDepot Park, Alcantara worked seven innings, allowed three runs and struck out eight, adding another quality start to a season that has quietly become a model of consistency for the right-hander. Heriberto Hernndez and Leo Jimnez supplied the only offense with solo homers, but the Marlins could not turn those swings into a bigger inning.
The frustrating part for Miami was familiar enough to sting. The lineup went hitless with runners in scoring position, leaving Alcantara to absorb the loss after doing his part deep into the game. It was also his final start before the All-Star break, and even in defeat, the bigger picture around him remains encouraging as the Marlins continue leaning on a starter who has given them a chance nearly every time out. [Read more 🡒]
Chris Paddacks Next Move Is A Frustrating Reminder For Marlins Fans
Chris Paddacks latest stop is a reminder of how quickly a season can change for a pitcher who was once bouncing through the MLB market and then looking for his next opportunity after being released. For a right-hander with his track record, the overseas route offers a cleaner path than waiting around for a minor league deal, and it gives him a chance to reset his value in a new environment.
For the Marlins, the frustrating part is less about where Paddack landed than what his next move says about the business side of the game. Miami is still carrying the remainder of his salary, and any future MLB minimum contract would only chip away at that obligation, so the club is watching a pitcher it once had on the books head into a different market with a better short-term payoff and, potentially, a stronger case for his next contract. [Read more 🡒]
Marlins Just Made A Franchise Defining Bet On A Prep Shortstop
The Marlins kept their focus on upside in the 2026 MLB Draft, using the 14th overall pick on high school shortstop Jacob Lombard, one of the most intriguing prep bats in the class. MLB Pipeline had him ranked as the No. 5 prospect, a sign of how highly evaluators viewed a player whose blend of right-handed power and speed gave him a chance to become a premium talent at a premium position.
For Miami, the bet is as much about ceiling as it is about timeline, since drafting a prep shortstop always comes with patience and projection. Lombard brings the kind of athletic profile that can reshape a farm system if it develops as hoped, and the Marlins clearly saw enough in his tools to make him a cornerstone-type swing at the top of the board. [Read more 🡒]