Is Marlins’ Record Indicative of How Much They Improved in 2026?

If you simply looked at the Marlins' records in 2025 and 2026, you would not see much improvement. A difference of one win and no movement in the divisional standings is hardly a significant jump. Dig a little deeper, however, and Miami looks like a much better team than its final record would suggest.

A More Competitive Display

Sandy Alcantara pitches to close out the game during the ninth inning against the Atlanta Braves at LoanDepot Park. Jeff Klein-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In 2026, the Marlins posted a +3 run differential, scoring 715 runs while allowing 712. That stands in stark contrast to 2025, when Miami scored 709 runs but surrendered 798.

So what changed between last season and this one? Well, one obvious improvement that can be inferred from the run differential is better run prevention. The Marlins finished 13th in MLB with a 4.09 team ERA this season, a major improvement from 2025, when they ranked 25th with a 4.60 ERA.

What helped them the most was having an excellent starting trio of Sandy Alcantara, Max Meyer, and Eury Pérez, all of whom finished with ERAs below 4.00. Meyer took the biggest leap of the group, posting a 2.68 ERA and 1.14 WHIP across 20 starts while emerging as one of the most effective pitchers in Miami's rotation.

In the hitting department, the Marlins were well above average. This season, they ranked ninth in team OPS at .726, and were third in the league in triples with 37. Last year, they were 17th in team OPS at .707. Players such as Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards took meaningful steps forward, helping raise the floor of the lineup. Not every young hitter progressed at the same rate, however, as Jakob Marsee and Kyle Stowers took a step back compared to their previous campaigns.

By most metrics, the Marlins were a respectable team throughout the season, but in June they took things to another level and showed what they could look like when everything clicked. During the month, Miami ranked first in MLB with a 3.01 team ERA, fourth with a .798 OPS, and won 20 games, the most in baseball over that stretch.

The Marlins quickly came back down to earth after their remarkable June, enduring a lengthy losing streak before playing closer to .500 baseball for much of the remainder of the season. The month was excellent, but a pace that the team did not come close to matching for the rest of the season. Still, June may have offered a glimpse of this roster's ceiling. When the starting pitching was performing at its best and the lineup was producing consistently, Miami was capable of playing like one of the best teams in baseball.

There is still plenty of work to do before the Marlins can consistently challenge teams such as the Braves and Phillies in the National League East. But their improved roster and better run differential suggests that playoff baseball in loanDepot park could happen sooner rather than later.

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