Marlins Get Sweet Relief, Break 'The Streak, Heading Towards the Trade Deadline
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The storm has passed in South Florida, and miraculously, everything's still somehow standing. The Miami Marlins finally broke their 12-game losing streak with a dramatic 8-7 victory over their National League East rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies. The win was the first for the Fish since the All-Star break, after the team tumbled following the best month in franchise history in June.
Griffin Conine drove in the winning run for a walk-off win and had a home run with two RBI. Hiberto Hernandez hit a home run and added two ribbies on the night. Starter Tyler Phillips pitched five solid innings, surrendering just two earned runs while striking out five. The bullpen got beat around a bit, but Miami was able to hold on for the win. It was sweet relief for the Fish, according to manager Clayton McCullough.
“Everybody feels good," McCullough said, following the victory. "It’s no lie that everyone in the building’s been grinding hard now for a couple of weeks and frustrated with things. But certainly, it feels great once you get a win, and in the fashion that we did. It’d be hard to ever question this group’s toughness and willingness to compete. ... It just speaks to the group of guys we have in that clubhouse that they just don’t ever stop playing until it’s over.”
GRIFFIN CONINE. BALLGAME. pic.twitter.com/tHJCmfZILU
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) July 28, 2026
The night's hero, Conine, expressed his feelings on the end of the team's dark run.
“The pressure’s off,” the 29-year-old outfielder said. “Now, we’re on a winning streak. We’ve won one in a row. Forget the last two weeks and move on.”
Where Do the Fish Go From Here?
The Marlins (53-54) once sat 10 games over .500, but their torturous two weeks caused them to tumble. They are now on the outside looking in on the National League Playoffs. They trail multiple teams and are currently two games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for the final Wild Card slot.
While that's still a more upbeat turn of events than may have been expected before the season, the expectations changed at some point. Winning became more prevalent than development for this team, especially when they were in the driver's seat of the postseason spot the Snakes are currently coiled around.
With that in mind, the team has made it clear that they won't engage in any wild moves as part of this year's MLB trade deadline. Instead, they have chosen to hold steady and navigate the waters down in South Florida.
That patience should pay off in the end. This is an above-average team that has no real chance of winning a World Series yet - even if they do end up managing to qualify for baseball's second season. It makes more sense to make as strong a stand as they can now, while storing up plenty of dry powder for their future battles.
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