Hey, remember last season when we were bullish on the Miami Marlins and saw some playoff appearances in their future?
Boy, talk about being wrong in the wrongest way. Not only did the Marlins not make the playoffs in 2024, but they barely showed up at all. Kim Ng leaving the front office had a ripple effect across the organization to the point where reigning National League Manager of the Year Skip Schumaker just checked out.
The rest went as predictably expected for the Marlins. They lost 100 games. Popular players with rising price tags were traded. Reigning NL batting champion Luis Arraez was dealt to San Diego swiftly on May 4, and the Yankees acquired Jazz Chisholm Jr. in July.
Even more predictably, Schumaker left at the end of the season.
Gone is former part-owner Derek Jeter’s clear vision of strong player development. The adults are no longer in the room and it seems principal owner Bruce Sherman prefers it that way. When do people start missing Jeffrey Loria?
You know it. I know it. We all know it. Miami will be lucky to not lose 100 games again in 2025.
Greatest Addition: Clayton McCullough. The one good move the Marlins in the offseason was picking Schumaker’s successor. McCullough was the Dodgers’ first base coach for four years and was on their World Series-winning staff last season. He also spent seven years managing in the Blue Jays’ farm system.
McCullough is a good hire for the Marlins the same way Will Venable is good for the White Sox. Both were coaches on recent World Series-winning teams. McCullough can step into the clubhouse with a clean slate and at least try to recapture what was clearly taken away from Schumaker.
The right manager can help the Marlins win. Ownership just has to let it happen.
Greatest Loss: Jake Burger. The stinginess is real with this one. Burger isn’t even in his arbitration years and turned in a pretty good season in Miami in 2024, hitting .250 with 29 home runs and 76 RBI. His wRC+ dropped to 106 from 120 in ’23, but his batting average held at .250. That speaks to a lack of protection in the lineup.
Despite his powerful bat, the Marlins decided to cut bait on Burger before his price tag ballooned. The Marlins traded him to the Rangers in December and got three minor leaguers back. Now, the Fish have no clear big bag in the lineup, and the season seems lost before Opening Day.
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Greatest Strength: Exciting young players. The best thing to do in observing a bad team is to see which of the youngest players stand out. Lucky for the Marlins, this is the one area where they might not be lacking. Most notably, ace and former Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara is back on the mound after missing last season with Tommy John surgery. Similarly, 6’8″ hurler Eury Perez should return from the same procedure after the All-Star Break.
It’s no different on the hitting side. Catcher and No. 4 prospect Agustin Ramirez, acquired from New York in the Chisholm deal, hit 25 home runs in the minors last year. First baseman Matt Mervis struggled with the Cubs on the big-league level, but hit 73 home runs in their farm system over the last three years.
Most exciting of all, however, is outfielder Griffin Conine. His father, Jeff, won two World Series rings with the Marlins over two separate stints with the team. He retired with the nickname “Mr. Marlin,” and now his son could soon make his MLB debut with the same team.
Greatest Weakness: Low power mode. Ownership aside, the Marlins’ biggest baseball weakness is their lineup has no reliable power hitter without Burger. His 29 home runs led the team, followed by Jesus Sanchez’s 18. Unless he ups his walks and cuts down his strikeouts, Sanchez isn’t moving beyond that 15-20 home run range.
So who steps up? Does Mervis’ strong spring training (.286, three homers, .989 OPS) mean he finally found his swing? Will Conine match or exceed his father’s legacy? Until Miami figures out the leaders in their lineup, it’ll be another long, long season.
So, we can expect more of the same from the Miami Marlins? Unfortunately, yes. At least in the immediate. The upside is that with Alcantara’s return and the young bats in the lineup, Miami is good enough to at least steal some wins here and there. Don’t expect any surprise sweeps of top teams, but they’ll get at least some time in the spotlight.
That isn’t to say be aggressive with the Marlins on NY sports betting apps, but player performance parlays could turn a small profit. Otherwise, look for Miami to lose anywhere from 90 to 100 games yet again and play to regular empty seats. Until ownership wisens up and actually invests in this team, the Fish will continue to rot from the head down.
FOR FULL STORY ON STANDARD WEBSITE: ESNY’s MLB Preview 2025: Miami Marlins rotting from the head down | Elite Sports NY