The Miami Marlins spent 2026 showing real progress, even if the standings stopped short of a playoff berth. They stayed in the mix until mid-September, which says plenty about where this rebuild stands now: not finished, but clearly moving in the right direction as the organization starts eyeing a real push for 2027.
If there was one glaring issue hanging over the season, it was the bullpen. The offense had its highs and lows, but Miami has so many young players under team control beyond 2026 that the biggest swing probably won’t come from overhauling the lineup. The run-producing group looks built to carry forward, and the expectation is that its dynamic profile should hold up.
That puts the pitching staff front and center this offseason, and especially the relief corps. The Marlins simply did not have enough dependable help out of the bullpen in 2026, and if they want to be a serious contender in 2027, that has to change. Closing games out cleanly is not a luxury for this team - it’s a requirement.
One of the first calls on the docket is whether to bring back Pete Fairbanks. That decision sits among the roster choices Miami has to make before the winter really gets rolling.
The trade market could also become part of the solution. With payroll questions looming for 2027, the Marlins may need to look beyond free agency to add pitching help and shore up the staff.
There’s been movement beyond the roster, too. Miami has already evaluated some members of the coaching staff and decided to go in another direction after the way the season ended, with more changes possible and additional hires now to be made.
In Other News...
Marlins May Finally Have A Real Long Term Plan That Works
The Marlins recent history has been a churn of near-misses, resets and front office reshuffling, with only one .500 season to show for it in the span of recent years. Bruce Sherman brought in Peter Bendix as president of baseball operations before the 2023 season, and Bendix later turned to Clayton McCullough as manager in November 2024, giving the organization a clear chain of command after years of uncertainty.
Bendixs track record in Miami has not been spotless, but there are signs the structure is starting to settle in a way the franchise has long needed. McCulloughs tenure has lined up with improved team performance over the past two seasons, which matters for a club that has spent too much time trying to find a sustainable direction rather than simply chasing a good week or two. [Read more 🡒]
This Unlikely Marlins Hero Delivered One Of 2006s Best Finishes
Late in the 2006 season, Jason Wood turned into the kind of unlikely Marlins figure that baseball seasons seem to produce out of nowhere. He had entered the game in the sixth inning, and by the time the night reached the 11th, Florida and Philadelphia had already traded leads and leaned on contributions from players such as Alfredo Amzaga and Dan Uggla just to keep it alive.
Wood finished it with a walk-off single after fighting through a 2-2 count, lifting the Marlins to a 3-2 win on Oct. 1 over the Phillies. It was the sort of finish that gave a routine late-season game a little extra weight, especially for a team that needed every bit of grit it could get from its bench and bullpen. [Read more 🡒]