Pete Fairbanks Sees Rays-Style Success Taking Shape With the Marlins
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The Miami Marlins aren't like other teams in Major League Baseball when it comes to money being spent. Going into 2026, the Marlins have the lowest payroll of all 30 MLB teams, slated at $73 million, according to FanGraphs.
But just because the Marlins haven't dropped as much money as other teams in the league doesn't mean that they won't be competitive moving forward. Miami brought in a handful of players with previous success this offseason, looking to spark a connection with the roster they've already constructed.
One of the biggest signings for Miami this offseason was bringing former Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks to the Marlins on a one-year deal. Fairbanks solidifies the backend of the bullpen for the Marlins, having finished more than 30 games in each of the last three seasons with 20+ saves apiece.
Fairbanks Feels Miami's Surgance
Joining Robert Flores and former MLB outfielder Cliff Floyd of MLB Network, Fairbanks discussed how his time in Tampa Bay, which brought them a World Series run in 2020 and playoff games in the two years that followed, with one of the lowest payrolls in MLB, reflects the current state of the Marlins.
"It definitely has that feel to it, of the Rays teams that I was a part of early on," Fairbanks said. "Seems like we've got a lot of versatile athletes, and you've got some pitchers who are catching people by surprise and then you got your frontline starters like we did in '19, '20, '21."
"I think the talent is there, the pieces are there and hopefully it all comes together."
The difference between the Marlins and the Rays, and how they're constructed in this form of comparison, is that Tampa Bay was rooted heavily in pitching and clutch hitting. Miami has a plethora of contact bats and a handful of pitchers looking to take that next step forward.
Sandy Alcantara being on the roster and healthy only bodes well for the starting rotation, and with an experienced closer in Fairbanks, the Marlins will likely win more close games this year with a lead in the latter half of the game with Fairbanks than they did last year without him.
That being said, this Marlins clubhouse is a slew of young players looking to make a name for themselves in the MLB. That has proven to be a recipe for success for some franchises in the past, and it could very well be the first year that Miami is back on the playoff watch map.
Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.