Can Marlins Rally Back From 12 Games of Bad Luck to Find Their Old Magic?

Miami finally drove out some demons when they broke their 12-game curse, but now, can they cast enough of a spell over their opponents to somehow still mystically make the playoffs?

Aerial View of Miami Marlins pitcher Max Meyer | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In June, the Miami Marlins had Major League Baseball mystified. Winners of a franchise record 20 games that month, they entered July looking forward to the All-Star break, looking forward to the sunny days of Summer, shining in the spotlight of a playoff push. They were in command, in control, and on a roll.

But ominous clouds were circling South Florida, and not the kind that are an indication of a hurricane. Instead, this turned into a firestorm, with the Fish left frying in the July heat. They lost 12 in a row until Monday night in a nail-biting ninth-inning win over the Philadelphia Phillies, 8-7.

The NL East crown shouldn't even be considered a possibility at this point. Even when the Fish were cooking, they would have had to go on a miraculous run to catch Atlanta. But the Wild Card was easily in reach for them, and they fumbled an advantageous position away.

Can Marlins Find Some More Magic?

Marlins catcher Joe Mack, after hitting a home run | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Marlins have been pretty open about their indifference towards the pending MLB Trade Deadline on August 3, essentially determining that they were going to play the cards they've been dealt up to this point. So, what you see is what you get, in terms of what team will be fighting through the Fall for the final spot in the game's second season.

Miami is currently just two games out of the final National League slot, currently held by the Arizona Diamondbacks and Pittsburgh Pirates. And while there are plenty of teams also in that mix, the South Florida Nine have as much a chance of going on a long winning streak now as the stunning slide they just endured. We have seen how they played in June. A replay of that in September would almost certainly springboard them into that slot.

Having stated that, the Fish already have a foundation in place for the future, but it's already winning now. Even if the team doesn't end up overcoming the adversity they have faced following the All-Star recess, they will learn a LOT from failure. Perhaps more so than if they were able to sprinkle enough pixie dust to make the postseason.

To get there, they will need some veteran voodoo from Sandy Alcantara and youngster Max Meyer to add some confounding conjuring on the hill. Meanwhile, young hitters like Joe Mack, Otto Lopez, and Xavier Edwards must find their old formula in clutch situations — the kind the team would face in a playoff scenario.

If this team can manage to do that, they they can bring their chances to play on back to life. If not, they will have to wait for a supernatural season next year.