A successful Miami Marlins offseason starts with fixing the parts of the roster that kept dragging them down in 2026.
Even after an 80-win season, Miami still missed the playoffs, and the inconsistencies showed up in all the usual places. The bullpen, in particular, was a problem area.
The Marlins need to put real money into making that group more stable after too many walks, too many runs, and too many late-inning losses. Whether Pete Fairbanks returns or not, he cannot be treated as the only answer.
He’s a quality closer, but Miami needs more arms it can trust. A relief free-agent signing and possibly a boost from one of the team’s prospects could help the Marlins hold leads next season.
The lineup has a different kind of question mark. There are hitters on the roster with ability, but the Marlins do not appear to have a Manny Ramirez- or Aaron Judge-type right-handed bat.
Agustin Ramirez is the name that comes closest, though he hit well below average. He has the kind of power that could change an offense, but he still has to prove he can be reliable and show better plate discipline.
A trade for a right-handed hitter is one path Peter Bendix can explore.
Health may be the biggest swing factor of all. Stowers, Fairbanks, Xavier Edwards, Owen Caissie, and Eury Perez have all missed time at different points because of injuries. That leaves the obvious question hanging over the season Miami just had: would the Marlins have won more games if those injuries hadn’t piled up?
Looking ahead to 2027, the coaching staff should be ready to lean into the 24-year-old utility man. The third base job should belong to Sanoja, who did everything asked of him and then some.
His second-half run stood out, and he showed he can keep an offense moving with contact, speed, and attention to detail. He is not a home run-or-bust player, and that’s part of the appeal.
Sanoja has shown he can handle a regular role, and if he opens the year on the roster and keeps producing, it would be one of the smartest calls Clayton McCullough and the front office can make this offseason.
In Other News...
Marlins 2027 Depth Takes Another Hit With Two Key Absences
The Marlins 2027 depth chart took another hit with news that Jakob Marsee and Tyler Zuber are both headed for elbow surgery, a reminder of how quickly the margins can shrink in a rebuilding clubs plans. For Miami, even injuries that still sit ahead on the calendar matter when they involve players the organization was counting on for future depth.
Marsee and Zuber are both dealing with UCL problems, and the timing leaves the Marlins with two more names to account for as they map out next season and beyond. The absences also underline how fragile pitcher and position-player depth can be in a system that is still trying to piece together its long-range roster picture. [Read more 🡒]