Regardless of Trade Deadline, Marlins Still Have a Wild Card Berth to Win

While they may have suffered a serious drop-off during the month of July, the Miami Marlins are (oddly) in a somewhat better position now to hit the gas and cruise into the postseason

Miami Marlins catcher Joe Mack and relief pitcher Pete Fairbanks | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If you had told Miami Marlins fans before the season started what a roller coaster it would turn out to be, they probably would have invested in a lot of Maalox.

The season has been a wild ride that's been up, down, and all around, as the burgeoning young team has had some dramatic starts and stops. But after surviving the sharp turn of June and July, the saga has looped around a potential playoff spot.

The Fish were 10 games over the .500 mark at one point early in July, but were derailed by a 12-game losing streak that had most of Miami panicking. Defeats grew to disappointment, the kind that mounts when you can feel something potentially great slipping from your fingers.

Fortunately, the team righted the ship a bit, closing out July with enough momentum to feel upbeat for August. And, a look at the standings shows the team is still in better shape than anyone could have imagined.

Can the Fish Finish the Race?

Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez scores a run against the Mets | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On Aug 2, just a day before the MLB trade deadline rings the final bell, the Marlins are just 1.5 games behind their NL East rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, in the National League wild card race. And they can get closer to the finish line based on a mid-month match-up The Fish meet the Phils in an important three-game series on Aug. 17–19, in Philadelphia. It will be the final regular-season showdown of 2026 between the two clubs. It could have tiebreaker implications as well, considering season series are now the primary tiebreakers for playoff berths.

One man is certainly in it to win it. Miami manager Clayton McCullough says his team is focused on keeping the pedal to the metal and reaching the checkered flag that signals their entrance into baseball's second season, regardless of what happens at the trade deadline.

“We know what’s in front of us,” McCullough said earlier this week, according to the Miami Herald (subscription required). “And I think the only way we can put ourselves in that position and get there is to win. We need to win games, we need to win series. We won’t be able to do anything about the other teams and what they’re doing around the league that night. If we win games and win enough games. We’ll give ourselves what we feel like is a real chance to get in.”