Max Meyer has already put together the kind of 2026 season that puts him in a different conversation. The Miami Marlins right-hander has taken over as the club’s new ace, and he’s done it with the kind of pitch mix that has left hitters guessing all year long.
The numbers back it up. Meyer reached the All-Star break at 9-1 with a 2.58 ERA and 116 strikeouts, all in his first full season in Major League Baseball after missing time in 2023 and part of 2024 because of Tommy John surgery. He also skipped his final start before the break after earning his first All-Star selection.
Meyer said on his first All-Star Media Day that he will start the second game following the All-Star break against the Milwaukee Brewers.
From here, the Marlins will need him to keep carrying that momentum. Miami is trying to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2023, and Meyer’s second-half work will matter both for the team’s push and for his own season line.
There are a few realistic marks still within reach. With roughly 13 or 14 starts left in the regular season, Meyer has a chance to keep stacking wins at the rate he’s been going. He’s already won 90% of his decisions this year, and a few more could push him to another eye-catching total.
Strikeouts are another target. At 116, Meyer is in position to keep piling them up if he keeps producing the kind of outings that have defined his season. Averaging around 7-8 strikeouts per start over his remaining turns would get him to a strong benchmark and reinforce the idea that he’s become the dominant arm at the front of Miami’s five-man rotation.
The bigger picture is straightforward: if the Marlins hold onto a Wild Card spot, Meyer could find himself pitching on a major stage in October. If they fade, the shine on his season will look a little different. Either way, this is a year in which Miami needs him to keep pulling his weight.
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Milbrandts first look at Triple-A was encouraging enough to put him on the radar, though his last two July outings showed how quickly the level can test a young pitcher. For a Miami club sitting in the last Wild Card spot, that kind of volatility matters, because the front office may be more inclined to lean on internal options than chase a bigger trade deadline swing. [Read more 🡒]