Clayton McCullough found a little literary relief in the middle of a brutal stretch.
After the Marlins finally ended their 12-game losing streak with a walk-off win over the Phillies on Monday, the manager explained why he had been comparing the skid to “The Odyssey.” McCullough said he recently watched the film in theaters on an off day and saw some parallels between Odysseus’ long journey and what Miami had been living through.
“I feel a bit like Odysseus,” McCullough said. “Like I'm away from home for 10 years.
At some point, I'm going to return home. I don't know what baseball god I infuriated, but it's where we're at, so today is an opportunity.”
In McCullough’s version, “home” was the win column - and the Marlins got there Monday night after erasing a ninth-inning deficit to beat Philadelphia. The comparison may have been a playful one, but the numbers behind the skid were no joke. Miami dropped 11 of the 12 games by three runs or fewer, and in six of them the Marlins had led at some point.
That kind of run has a way of turning a promising month into a mess. Miami had been one of baseball’s biggest surprises after a strong June, climbing to 10 games over .500 and into postseason position.
Then July hit, and everything tilted. The Marlins were swept by the Guardians heading into the All-Star break, then were swept again by the Brewers, Astros and Padres in the three series that followed.
The losses kept piling up, but most of them stayed tight. The bullpen couldn’t protect leads, and the offense went quiet when it needed a lift.
Against the Phillies, Miami looked headed for another frustrating night after an early 5-2 advantage disappeared. Instead, the Marlins rallied, loaded the bases with no outs and finished the job with RBI singles from Heriberto Hernandez and Griffin Conine.
GRIFFIN CONINE. BALLGAME.
- Miami Marlins (@Marlins) July 28, 2026
For Conine, the finish brought an immediate shift in mood.
“As far as what this does, pressure's off,” Conine said after his walk-off hit. “Now, we're on a winning streak.
Now, we want more of it. So it's like forget the last two weeks and move on.
I think we can learn from it, and I think that we will.”
McCullough said the clubhouse felt “feeling much different” after the win, and he pointed to the next step as taking the series. The timing also matters in the standings: because the Diamondbacks lost Monday, the Marlins are now two games out of a wild-card spot in the National League. And with a report saying they don’t plan to trade any of their core pieces at the deadline, Miami still has room to chase another push.
In Other News...
Phillies May Be Closing In On The Veteran Arm They Need
The Phillies are already built around a strong top of the rotation, but the conversation around their 2026 trade deadline plans is starting to sound familiar: add one more veteran arm and make the whole staff harder to navigate in October. ESPNs Jesse Rogers pointed to a pair of experienced starters who could fit that kind of role, the sort of pitcher who does not need to be treated like a staff ace but can still take pressure off the front end when the games matter most.
Philadelphias need is easy to see. Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo give the club a solid foundation, but the depth behind them has been less certain, with Aaron Nola still searching for consistency and the fifth spot unsettled. If the Phillies do decide to buy, the appeal is not just stability in the regular season. It is about finding someone who can slide into the middle of a playoff rotation and handle that stage without the moment looking too big. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Face One Trade Deadline Gamble That Could Define This Season
The Phillies are staring at a familiar deadline dilemma: push chips in now or protect what little long-term depth they have left. With an aging core and a farm system that does not offer much margin for error, any major move would have to be the kind that can change October in a hurry, not just add another useful arm for the stretch run.
That is why the chatter around San Diego has caught attention, especially with one of the games most electric late-inning relievers suddenly sounding like he could be in play. If the Padres are willing to listen, Philadelphia would have to decide how far it wants to go with its best prospects, and whether this is the sort of swing that fits a roster built to win now. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Face A Painful Jeff Hoffman Decision After Bullpen Injury
Brad Kellers injury has left the Phillies looking harder at the bullpen market, and Jeff Hoffman has quickly surfaced as a familiar name. Toronto is reportedly weighing whether to move the right-hander, who has scuffled lately, while Philadelphia has reasons to revisit a pitcher who once found real success here. With the trade deadline closing in, the fit is obvious enough to keep the conversation alive.
Hoffmans past run in Philadelphia gives the idea a little more weight than a typical deadline rumor, especially for a club trying to steady a relief group under pressure. The Blue Jays and Phillies have been discussing possible frameworks, and the clock is part of what makes this one feel so tricky. Philadelphia needs help, Toronto needs to decide whether to sell low, and the next step may come down to how far each side is willing to go before the deadline passes. [Read more 🡒]