Griffin Connie’s Growth Critical to Miami Marlins' Futures Success
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Miami Marlins outfielder Griffin Conine continues to do the right things at the right time.
In a game where Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara received most of the attention because of a major accomplishment. Conine had an important night for the offense after going 2-for-4.
Conine Has an .845 OPS in Last 50 Games
Coming into the 2026 season, Conine is one of those players about whom some had questions about his ability to perform for this team. He knew there were expectations for him to prosper. Injuries had gotten in the way of him reaching his potential, but this summer he has quieted down the critics and anyone who has doubted him.
What he has done in the last 50 games has been incredible. He's releasing his bat faster and having tremendous plate discipline. Conine has delivered 10 homers and has been one tough customer for the pitchers. Miami has played a complete game from an offensive, pitching, and defensive standpoint on Saturday afternoon.
Conine loves playing for the Marlins organization. He was born to play for the franchise — after all his father is franchise legend Jeff Conine.
In addition, he admires and respects his ace and everything he has done for the team. What Alcantara does on the mound and off the mound has gained the respect of his teammates. Conine is happy with the way the team performed and made a statement about Mount Rushmore perfectly clear after the game.
"Yeah, without a doubt," Conine said to Marlins Sports Network after the game. "The body of work speaks for itself. If you're thinking about Mount Rushmore for the Marlins franchise history, he's got to be on there, and if you're thinking of one arm, I think he's the guy."
MARLINS WIN!
— Marlins Radio Network (@MarlinsRadio) August 8, 2026
The Marlins beat the Angels 7-0 on Saturday afternoon as Sandy Alcantara set the franchise record for career innings.
Griffin Conine went 2-4 with an RBI and was with @SStrom_ after the victory! pic.twitter.com/VMTh3eYHEX
In terms of pitchers, Alcantara definitely deserves consideration for the team's Mount Rushmore. However, when we take into consideration overall, since the Marlins have been in existence since 1993, then one would argue that there are four other players who are already up there.
As good as Alcantara is, we can't put him in the Marlins' Mount Rushmore over Jeff Conine, Giancarlo Stanton, Gary Sheffield, Miguel Cabrera, and even Hanley Ramirez. There's still a chance he can succeed reaching there, but as of now, we can keep him in the Mount Rushmore of Marlins' pitchers along with Dontrelle Willis, Jose Fernandez, and Josh Johnson.
As for Conine, it would be pretty cool if he could someday join the category of some of the best Marlins players of the 2020s. If he manages to finish the season on a high note and can be consistent for the Marlins for the rest of the decade, then it's possible.
However, in this game, there are no guarantees. Let's see how long he can keep this up and if the organization wants to keep him around for a few more seasons. It would be a blessing to have the father and son be linked together as legends of the organization.
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After graduating from City College of New York in 2014, Miguel created his own blog. Since 2021, he has written for FanSided, where he covered the Toronto Blue Jays, College Football and Utah Mammoth hockey team. He also wrote for Miami Heat on SI and Cleveland Sports Talk. Miguel is the creator and host of his podcast, Baseball Heat Podcast with Mike.