Marlins Refuse to Go Away as the NL Playoff Race Tightens
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The Miami Marlins have seemingly decided that the final spot in the National League Wild Card race is theirs for the taking. And their recent performance indicates that they plan to stick around until the bitter end.
They are currently 2.5 games behind the San Diego Padres, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Philadelphia Phillies for the second and third Wild Card slots. Even if there's a photo finish, the Fish are setting their sights on October baseball.
That determined attitude was on display again on Tuesday night, as starter Eury Perez threw seven scoreless innings, leading Miami to a 2-0 shutout win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The right-hander held the Pirates to three hits and two walks while racking up seven strikeouts. In fact, he didn't even allow a runner to get past first base.
Photo Gallery: Miami Marlins beat Pittsburgh Pirates https://t.co/l9h7iQjedE
— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) August 12, 2026
At the same time, outfielder Esteury Perez was the hero on offense, belting a home run and scoring the Marlins' other run after being hit by a pitch. Overall, he accounted for the offense on the evening.
“He’s been a real spark for us in a lot of ways,” Miami manager Clayton McCullough said. “He jumped on a first pitch for a homer, and then, you know, gets hit by the pitch, and I don’t know if there’s anybody better to delay steal than him. The number of times he’s done it this year — it’s not a secret anymore; I’m sure people talk about it, but still, how well he can execute that to get on there and create a run for us in a game.”
Strong Starting Rotation is an Advantage
Down the stretch, the Marlins' starting rotation has the chance to really carry the club. In fact, the team's postseason chances likely lie on the arms of starters Max Meyer, who is about to finish a 15-day stint on the injured list for neck strain, and longtime ace Sandy Alcantara, the most reliable pitcher in the rotation. The pair have been the leaders of the staff.
The currently shelved Meyer is 9-1, with a 2.68 ERA and 121 strikeouts; his official return time is still to be determined, however. Meanwhile, the venerable veteran Alcantara has come on strong as of late. He's 13-6 with a 3.52 ERA, 128 strikeouts, and a 1.17 WHIP across 163.2 innings pitched this season.
But perhaps the greatest factor for the rest of the regular season, and (especially) in a short, limited-game playoff series. If he continues to develop down the stretch, the Fish will have three hurlers who can pitch like the #1 guy every night. For his part, the 23-year-old Perez (6-9, 3.39 ERA, 128 Ks).
“It’s been a process of a lot of work that we’ve been doing,” Perez said. “Working on that attack, and it’s just about just continuing to to doing the little things. ... [I’m] trying to go out there and have a lot of confidence in every single pitch that I throw, and just do a good job. Just go out there with a big smile on my face.”
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