Is The Miami Marlins' Hot Start Legit, Or Just A Mirage?
What makes this year any different?
The Miami Marlins are sitting tied atop the NL East standings.
And no, I didn't write this in February when every team was 0-0, and we all had our hopes and dreams ahead of us.
Granted, it's still early in the season — we haven't even celebrated Jackie Robinson Day yet — but if you're familiar with this Marlins franchise, you'll know why their start to the season has been so eye-opening.
This is only the third time in their last 15 seasons that they've started above .500 the first 13 games of the season, which has many in South Florida turning their attention toward LoanDepot Park.
But the question remains: are the Marlins legit?
The Fish have had starts like this in the past, albeit on rare occasions, and have flamed out by the All-Star break.
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What makes this year any different?
Let's break it down, shall we?
Pros: Starting Pitching, Productive Bats
Let's start with the fact that the Marlins have a legit, top-of-the-rotation ace in Sandy Alcántara.
Sandy has a 2-0 record (and really should be 3-0, but we will address that later), with a stellar 0.74 ERA and a WHIP under 0.6.
That's filthy!
But it isn't just their number one starter who has Marlins fans feeling hopeful in 2026.
Eury Perez is a fantastic number two, boasting a 6'8" frame and a fastball that tops 100mph on the gun.
He's just 22-years-old, and he's only getting better, meaning Miami has a lethal one-two combo in their rotation as Perez continues to find his footing in the Majors.
Rounding out their rotation with guys like Janson Junk and Max Meyer, the Fish have the arms to compete throughout the year and sustain their hot start.
It's not just the arms either. The Miami offense is starting 2026 at a blistering pace.
Second baseman Xavier Edwards leads MLB in hits, while guys like Liam Hicks and Javier Sanoja are among the league leaders in RBI and batting average, respectively.
They're also, statistically speaking, the best base-running team in the Majors, averaging 3.3 baserunning runs per game.
That doesn't even take into account the fact that the biggest bat in their lineup, Kyle Stowers, hasn't played a single game this season.
With Stowers set to return sometime next week, expect this Marlins' lineup to get even more menacing.
Cons: Bullpen, Soft Schedule, Managerial Decisions
What looked like a strength to start the season has potentially turned into a giant question mark.
Closers like Anthony Bender aren't doing much to assuage concerns, given his ERA over 7 and the fact that he blew a crucial potential save up two runs in the ninth inning, taking over for Sandy Alcántara.
The bullpen's lack of command also reared its ugly head in a 9-7 loss to the Yankees, in which reliever Michael Petersen walked three batters in the eight inning of a tie game.
The Fish really like what they have in Pete Fairbanks, who will be returning from paternity leave, but this group needs to return to form quickly if they want the team to make any noise in '26.
Part of the reason their bullpen started off so hot before tailing off could also be the result of an uptick in competition.
The Marlins went 5-1 in their first six games, but those 6 games included three against the Rockies and three against the White Sox.
No one is confusing either of those teams with the Dodgers.
Miami has gone 3-4 since then, losing two of three to the Yankees and splitting a four-game set with Cincinnati.
Speaking of Cincinnati, there is a good chance the Marlins could have an extra series win under their belt if manager Clayton McCullough had just done the most obvious thing in the world and left Alcántara in for two more outs against the Reds in that aforementioned blown save by Bender.
Those are the kinds of decisions that will haunt a manager for life.
Just ask Grady Little, who did the opposite and left Pedro Martinez in too long in game seven of the 2003 ALCS.
Either way, McCullough can't afford to screw up like that much more this season if he wants the Marlins playing meaningful baseball in October.
Final Verdict
It's hard to say just how good this Marlins team will be in the coming months.
All the pieces are there to make a run, and the core is young and talented enough that, barring any fire sales (don't hold your breath), Miami will continue to improve in 2026 and beyond.
The starting rotation is legit, and the offense is one of the best in MLB right now.
It remains to be seen if their bullpen will return to form or if manager Clayton McCullough will make the right decisions in high-leverage situations.
What can't be denied is that this baseball team is fun to watch, something that hasn't been said about the Marlins in quite some time.