The Miami Marlins head into the offseason with plenty left to sort out, but they also have a clear blueprint sitting right in front of them. With the World Series underway, the question practically asks itself: what can Miami borrow from the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays?
That makes sense for a club like the Marlins, since both of those teams operate in a similar small- or low-mid market lane. The biggest advantage Miami has right now is that President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix has already done strong work rebuilding the organization, which gives him room to make the final moves that can shape the roster.
Offensively, the Marlins should have much of their lineup back in 2026, and the amount of young talent in the system suggests the group could take a step forward. The profile is similar to what the Brewers and Rays have leaned into, but there’s one area Miami has to embrace more fully: slug.
The Marlins finished 2026 with a .400 slugging percentage, which ranked 16th in baseball and sat right around league average. That’s not the problem.
The issue is the lack of home runs. Miami hit 168, which ranked 23rd in the league.
In the postseason, the Brewers have shown exactly why that matters, using the long ball to their advantage and seeing it pay off.
That doesn’t mean the Marlins need to turn into a team of all-or-nothing hitters. Contact still matters, and players who can put the ball in play and get on base are valuable pieces of the puzzle.
But once those runners are aboard, power becomes the separator. It creates traffic, opens up RBI chances and turns steady offense into real damage.
The Brewers’ playoff run has also been a reminder of how far a bullpen can carry a team. Their relief corps came into October without much name recognition, but now people are talking about Aaron Ashby as a possible top 10 reliever in the sport.
Miami, meanwhile, did not get enough out of its bullpen in 2026. The Marlins posted a 4.10 ERA from that group, ranking 19th in the sport, and the struggles plus the injury to closer Pete Fairbanks for most of the season were a major reason why.
So the bullpen needs a two-part plan this winter. First, the Marlins have to find smart additions the player development staff can help unlock.
With the lockout approaching, they may not be in position to chase the biggest-name relievers on the market, which makes value hunting even more important. Second, they need to keep developing their own arms and push them forward, the way a pitcher like Victor Vodnik can be helped to find his stuff away from Coors Field.
He stands out as the kind of player who could take a jump.
The path is there for Miami to move forward. The model exists. Now it’s about following it.
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Marlins Offseason Could Put Another Core Player In Question
With one of the lowest payrolls in baseball, Miamis offseason is shaping up as a familiar exercise in balancing present value against long-term flexibility. The club has several roster questions to work through, and one of the most notable centers on Kyle Stowers, whose recent progress has made him part of the conversation even as durability remains a concern.
Sandy Alcantaras future is another looming issue, since the Marlins still have to sort through his contract situation before the year is out. For a team that often has to make difficult choices with its core, these kinds of decisions can ripple through the rest of the roster, especially if Miami starts looking at ways to reshape the group around players such as Xavier Edwards or Otto Lopez. [Read more 🡒]