The first half gave the Miami Marlins a few clear answers, and Otto Lopez sat right at the top of the list.
Lopez went from expected breakout candidate to the team’s most reliable bat, and he did it with the kind of steady production that turned heads across June. The 27-year-old shortstop wasn’t just good; he became the best hitter in the Marlins lineup and picked up his first All-Star nod along the way.
His rise has been one of the team’s biggest developments, and he’s now on pace to post career highs in several categories. The message from here is simple: the momentum is real, and Lopez has to carry it into the second half.
There was another bat doing important work before Lopez fully took over the spotlight. Hicks led the Marlins in hits and home runs for the first two months of the season, and his value has come from more than just the numbers.
He’s the kind of player who’s willing to do whatever the team needs, whether that’s at first base, catcher, or designated hitter. In April, Hicks hit .309 with five home runs and 20 RBIs.
Over his last 15 games, he posted a .322/.369/.407 line with 19 hits, seven RBIs and four walks.
That production has kept his overall line strong, too. Hicks is batting .288 with 14 home runs and 60 RBIs in 313 at-bats. He also gave the Marlins a lift Monday against the Houston Astros, going for two hits, one home run and two RBIs after the club was swept by the Brewers.
Not every first-half story was as encouraging. Fairbanks did not give Miami the kind of late-inning stability it was hoping for when the season began.
In 33 games, the 32-year-old right-hander has a 7.42 ERA, 13 saves, a 3-4 record, 41 strikeouts and a 1.52 WHIP in 30.1 innings. The home run problem has been especially damaging: he allowed eight in the first half, the most he has surrendered in a season.
By comparison, he gave up just seven across the entire 2025 season with the Rays.
That kind of damage is hard to hide, especially from a closer. Still, there’s time for Fairbanks to turn it around, and the Marlins will need him to if they want to stay in the playoff mix. Games decided by one or two runs usually come down to the ninth, and that’s where a closer has to slam the door.
Conine also gave the Marlins something to build on as the calendar flipped from June to July. He hit .296 in June with eight hits and six RBIs, then added seven hits before the All-Star break in July. Over his last seven games, he’s been swinging the bat well enough to push his average to .275, with seven home runs and 25 hits.
If he stays healthy and keeps his approach intact, Conine has a real chance to become one of Miami’s top players in the second half.
In Other News...
Marlins Suddenly Have Another Problem In The Middle Of This Slide
The Marlins slide has already turned a promising stretch into a scramble, with the club dropping eight straight and slipping to third in the National League East after back-to-back losses to Houston. The skid has put even more pressure on a roster that is trying to keep pace in a division race while sorting through the usual midseason wear and tear.
Clayton McCullough has tried to project calm through it, insisting the group will recover, but Miami now has another issue to manage in the middle of the slump. Max Meyer landing on the injured list only adds to the sense that the club is fighting on multiple fronts at once, and the timing leaves the Marlins needing answers quickly if they want to stop the slide before it gets any deeper. [Read more 🡒]
Otto Lopez Is Back But Marlins Fans Still Have One Concern
Otto Lopez was back in the Marlins lineup against the Astros after missing two games, sliding right back into a familiar role at shortstop and leading off. For Miami, that was a welcome sight. Lopez has been one of the steadier pieces in the lineup, and the fact that he returned so quickly after the issue surfaced suggested the club avoided the kind of extended absence that can disrupt both the infield and the top of the order.
Still, the return did not erase every concern. Lopez has been managing the injury while playing, and even with the encouraging test results, the real question is how much the finger will affect the parts of his game that matter most at the plate. Fielding may be manageable, but the Marlins will be watching closely to see whether he can keep handling the bat comfortably as he settles back in. [Read more 🡒]
Marlins May Have One Deadline Move That Changes Everything
The Marlins still have a real path to the postseason, but the margin is getting thinner by the day after an eight-game losing streak has dragged them back into the pack. At 52-50 and sitting third in the NL East, Miami is close enough to the final wild card spot to justify buying, but only if the front office can find a move that actually addresses the rosters biggest weakness.
Third base has been a problem area, and Bleacher Reports Kerry Miller pointed to a possible trade fit that could help stabilize the position before the deadline. The catch is the one that always matters in July: a meaningful upgrade is not likely to come cheap, and if the Marlins want to make this kind of push, they may have to part with prospects they would rather keep. [Read more 🡒]