Early Power Rankings Point Toward Postseason Contention for Marlins
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The season is still fresh, but things are already looking promising for the Miami Marlins. Leading the American League East, the Marlins are 6-3 overall, with the New York Mets (6-4) following closely behind in second.
Last year, Marlins fans were disappointed to watch their beloved ballclub miss out on the postseason action, but this year could be a turning point for them. Not only are they equipped with an ace as skilled as Sandy Alcantara, but so far, their offense has been quite solid.
When the first set of power rankings was released ahead of Opening Day, Miami found itself in a frustrating position, claiming spot No. 24. However, now that the Marlins have kicked their season off on the right foot, they're already reaping benefits from their strong performances.
Marlins Ascend Latest Rankings
When Brent MaGuire of MLB.com released his next set of MLB power rankings, Miami was expected to climb, but it wasn't clear how much of a leap it would make. To the surprise of many, the Marlins found their new home at No. 16, and at this rate, fans should expect them to continue ascending.
As noted by MaGuire, 30-year-old Alcantara serves as a major contributing factor in this improvement. However, their offense should not be overlooked, either. Liam Hicks is leading the pack with three homers and is slashing .333/.414/.750 with a 1.164 OPS through eight games. New acquisition Owen Caissie trails with two homers.
When taking into account the significant effort being put in by the ballclub, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to expect a postseason appearance out of the Marlins this year.
Of course, it's still too early in the season to definitively lean one way or the other, but assessing their recent performances at face value, it's clear that they have something special that's worth tapping into.
By the time the next round of power rankings is released, as long as Miami continues to show up in a similar form, it's likely that they will continue to climb further up.
They're coming off a 7-6 loss to the New York Yankees on Sunday, and now they're gearing up to take on the Cincinnati Reds for a four-game series, set to begin on Monday at 6:40 p.m. ET. Miami has an opportunity to continue turning up the heat and make an imposing name for itself this season, but doing so will be no easy feat.
Maria Aldrich lives in the captivating Adirondack Mountains in New York where she can be found scaling cliffs, hiking in the High Peaks and paddling down local rivers. After graduating from SUNY Potsdam with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Wilderness Education, Maria began documenting her backcountry experiences through written stories. Over the years, she has found herself drawn to sports journalism and now focuses on MLB, WNBA, NCAA and NHL writing. She can be reached at mariaaldrich20@outlook.com.