2025 season: Eliminated Sept. 25
With Miami eliminated from the 2025 postseason, let’s take a look at the season that was for the Marlins, the questions the team must address this winter and the early outlook for next year.
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Read more: MLB offseason previews 2025: What’s next for the White Sox, Nationals, Twins and more?
Things that went right
The Marlins came back from 16 games under .500 on June 9 to even their record at 55-55 on Aug. 3. During that stretch, their 31-15 record was second-best in baseball. They regressed in August but surprised some opponents in the second half and showed signs that they’re ready to turn the corner and contend for a postseason berth.
The biggest improvements were on offense, as the team will finish near the middle of the pack in runs scored after ranking 27th in 2024. The centerpiece of that improvement is someone who arrived quietly in a trade last summer, Kyle Stowers. After being blocked by veterans in Baltimore, Stowers finally got a chance at a full-time role in Miami and took full advantage, ranking among the MLB leaders in home runs and OPS and representing the Marlins in the 2025 All-Star Game.
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While no one else on the team could match Stowers’ success, Agustín Ramírez is another player acquired at the 2024 trade deadline who quickly paid dividends. Ramírez gave the Marlins something few teams can boast: a powerful catcher who can hit in the heart of the lineup. Jakob Marsee also deserves mention in this section; he arrived from the minors in August and gave the Marlins’ lineup a spark with his on-base skills and elite speed.
Although the pitching staff had less success than the lineup, there were still positive performances. Most notably, Eury Pérez returned from Tommy John surgery. The 22-year-old was inconsistent down the stretch but had enough effective starts to remind everyone why he was one of the best young pitchers in baseball during his rookie season in 2023. While Pérez gave Marlins fans hope down the stretch, the team’s most consistent starter was Edward Cabrera, who finally harnessed his outstanding skills before landing on the IL in September. There were also plenty of success stories in the bullpen, as Ronny Henriquez, Calvin Faucher and Anthony Bender each posted solid stat lines while making more than 50 appearances.
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Things that went wrong
The starting rotation was a tale of extremes. The successful performances of Pérez and Cabrera were outweighed by several hurlers who struggled mightily or dealt with serious injuries. Sandy Alcantara was the most disappointing player on the roster. There was hope during spring training that he would return from Tommy John surgery and resume his status as a skilled workhorse. Instead, he spent most of the season with the worst ERA of any qualified pitcher.
Max Meyer briefly excited Marlins fans, but things quickly turned sour, as he owned a 4.73 ERA when he went on the IL on June 3 due to a hip injury that required surgery. Southpaw Ryan Weathers pitched well for five starts before a lat strain landed him on the 60-day IL. And while little was expected of Cal Quantrill, he still fell short of expectations, logging a bloated ERA before he was placed on waivers and claimed by the Braves on Aug. 21.
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Although the lineup improved, there were still some letdowns. Connor Norby was expected to be effective as the team’s third baseman, but he struggled offensively in a season that included multiple IL stints. Things were even worse at the other corner infield spot, as the Marlins received less production from their first basemen than any other team. Matt Mervis had some early moments but ultimately struck out too often to hold the role. Eric Wagaman took over for Mervis but didn’t fare much better.
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Offseason outlook
The Marlins are starting to turn the corner in their rebuild. They have plenty of pieces for the future.
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The team has found an exciting slugger in Ramírez, but the jury is out regarding his future as a No. 1 catcher. The slugger will need to improve his receiving skills in order to become one of baseball’s best at a premium position. He’ll get every chance to make that happen next year. The club is also set in the middle of the infield, with Otto Lopez at second base and Xavier Edwards at shortstop. The speedy Edwards took a small step backward offensively this year but was still good enough to be regarded as the leadoff man for 2026 and beyond. Lopez is an excellent fielder who does just enough at the plate to keep his starting job. The corner spots are less settled. Norby will get an opportunity to bounce back at third, and the team might need to look outside the organization for a first baseman.
With Stowers in left or right field and Marsee in center, the team is set at two outfield spots. There are some internal candidates to start in the other corner spot, including Heriberto Hernández, who had some positive performances down the stretch. The strongest contender might be Griffin Conine, assuming he can return on time from April shoulder surgery that wiped out most of his season. Ideally, the organization would prefer to keep light-hitting veterans such as Derek Hill and Dane Myers in reserve roles.
The rotation is full of possibilities and could quickly become the team’s strength. Pérez and Cabrera will anchor the group, and there remains optimism that Alcantara can get his career back on track. Weathers showed exciting potential this year. Meyer should be healthy when spring training starts, as could Braxton Garrett, who underwent internal brace elbow surgery in December. Janson Junk pitched well enough this summer to receive consideration for a rotation spot if some of the younger hurlers aren’t healthy.
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The relief corps is also in good shape. Although this bullpen is far from the best group in baseball, it has several key members who logged respectable stat lines and are under contract for 2026. Henriquez, Faucher and Bender are the headliners, but Tyler Phillips, Lake Bachar and Cade Gibson will contribute as well.
Prospects on the horizon
The Marlins’ farm system got an immediate boost when the team landed Aiva Arquette as the No. 7 pick of the 2025 MLB Draft. The 21-year-old was the oldest player selected in the first round and was the top collegiate position player in the eyes of some scouts. A natural shortstop, he could be one of the first players from his draft class to reach the majors.
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A deep group of rotation options will get even deeper when lefties Thomas White and Robby Snelling are ready to debut. The 6-foot-5 White has been especially successful in the minors while reaching Double-A. He could debut by next summer. Snelling is a year older than White and has reached Triple-A, which puts him on course to debut earlier in the season.
Catcher Joe Mack is the position player fans should have on their radar. Mack has spent most of the season in Triple-A, and he has the defensive skills to become an excellent complement to Ramírez. He struggled at the dish for much of his minor-league career but has started to find a route to offensive success.
Goals for 2026
Getting over the hump in the NL East won’t be easy. After all, the Phillies and Mets are deep-pocketed teams with excellent rosters, and the Braves have enough talent to immediately bounce back from a down year. Still, the Marlins seem ready to take the next step in their rebuild, which would mean a winning record and remaining in the postseason chase into September.
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The biggest key to taking the next step will be getting most of the starting pitchers healthy at the same time. If that happens, and the organization settles on the right players to fill the corner infield spots, the Marlins will become a dangerous foe. Of course, opening the wallet during free agency would make a big difference for this low-budget organization, even if its front office signs only a respectable veteran to play first base.
Fantasy focus
Stowers surprised fantasy managers this year and will surely get plenty of credit for his efforts when it’s time for 2026 drafts. The slugger doesn’t have enough of a track record to crack the first three rounds, but he should be in play in the range of Round 5. Edwards will be a midround pick in roto leagues, thanks to his potential to rank among the league leaders in steals. Ramírez and Marsee have enough upside to be drafted in the middle rounds as well.
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Pérez will be the first Miami pitcher off the board, as managers dream on his potential in a healthy season. He will be selected prior to Round 10, and Cabrera will follow a few rounds later. The rest of the staff will offer several intriguing late-round options, including Meyer and Weathers, assuming they look healthy in spring training.
